


It's All In The Genes

by rockbabyval



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Humor, Romance, adorable kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2018-08-11 22:03:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 43,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7909270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockbabyval/pseuds/rockbabyval
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one shot connected stories where the Fairy Tail members lived with their kids. Tons of laughter and fluff. Main Pairing includes: Nalu, Gale,Gruvia, Jerza, Miraxus. Other pairings may appear. Please Read and Review (*Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail nor the Display pic. All credits are to Hiro Mashima for creating Fairy Tail. I only own the idea of the fanfic.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Day in the Dragneel Family

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hellloooo Rockbabyval here~ This is my first time writing a Fairy Tail fanfic and it has been a long time since I last wrote a fanfic. So I do apologize for any error I had made and please do give me feedback on how I can improve in my writing. This fanfic would be based of the couple I shipped so badly in Fairy Tail. Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail nor the Display pic. All credits are to Hiro Mashima for creating Fairy Tail. I only own the idea of the fanfic. (This story is posted in Fanfiction.net as well, under the same name)
> 
> Pairing includes: Nalu, Gale,Gruvia, Jerza, Miraxus and so on
> 
> Without further ado, let's hop into the story ^.^

"I swear on the grave of Mavis, that you, Natsu Dragneel have to grow up! I can't babysit a kid and 1 FULLY GROWN adult at the same time!" The blond female wizard of the famous Fairy Tail guild had her left fist clenched tightly and placed onto her hips as angry tick marks could be shown all over her.

Lucy Heartfilia, or rather Lucy Dragneel, was furious at the fact that hers I mean her own family house was particularly half destroyed/ burned. As far as she can remember, this is the 21st time in 2 months that she had to rebuild it.

Why didn't she fireproof her home? The answer is simple. She loved her husband and daughter the way they are and no matter what, she won't regret it. Sure paying a huge sum to repair the building was a thing but on the other hand, as long as she could see those smile on their faces, money isn't an issue

Back to her screaming at the top of her lungs, in front of her lies her husband, Natsu Dragneel and her beloved daughter, Nashi Dragneel, 10 years old, both hugging each other for dear life. Lucy had to admit but this was rather cute.

Nashi was a splitting image of Lucy herself but her unique hair color came from her father. She too tied her hair into a one-sided ponytail just like her mother. She uses Fire Dragon Slaying magic just like her father as she had been burning her own toys (subconsciously) when she was a baby. It's true that Lucy did use the fire extinguisher once in awhile but she tries not to use it as it does chock her slayers due to the gas.

Lucy found out about it after Nashi accidentally lit the couch on fire at the age of 2 and since Natsu wasn't around due to a mission, she had to use the extinguisher to prevent her house from falling apart. After the fire was extinguished, Nashi was coughing badly and as a mother of her first born, she panicked. She immediately bought her to the Sky Dragon Slayer, Wendy Marvell, for a checked as she was the one who follow the next generation development.

After the check, Wendy told Lucy that Nashi would be fine as she inhaled the extinguisher gas without knowing the consequences. After all, kids are curious when they are young. At least now, she knows what kind of apparatus she needs to 'tame' her dragon when he start to cause a ruckus in the guild.

Now back to her family again. "W-we're sorry, Luce. We didn't mean to destroy the house…" Natsu said with a guilty look as his daughter was having the same look as well.  
"Yeah, mum! There was a huge bee and no matter what we tried to let it fly out, it just won't leave!" Nashi tried to persuade her mother that they didn't mean to destroy the house while emphasizing the size of the bee with her outstretched arms. To Lucy, it looks like the bee was one meter in length. Kids imagination at its very best.

"With fireballs and fire dragon roar within the house?" Lucy question them with a stern look and they looked back down onto the brown wooden floor;guilt eating them. At a time like this, people wonder who is in charge of the Dragneel household.

Lucy rubbed her temples as she could feel a headache making its way to her. Their guilty look wasn't helping her at the same time as she felt bad doing so. But as the woman of the household since Natsu could not do it, she had to lay some rules.

She sighed to let out the negative emotion inside of her before taking in another breath to calm herself. "Now listen you two," Lucy stern voice was now replaced with a much gentler one. The two 'kids' then looked up at her before she continued. "It's wrong to use magic to harm an innocent animal so next time when there is a bee, just leave it alone. And regarding the home…" Lucy surveyed her surrounding and another sighed escaped.

The wooden roof was now wide open due to the blast of the fire dragon roar, the walls and floors had scorch marks and there's even holes due to the fireballs. The furniture's were all over the place as if a tornado had struck but Lucy knew that there are only two people in her family who could do it. Thus, all these destruction is due to the father and daughter duo slaying power.

"We may need to bunk into Levy-chan's apartment for awhile now." The second she said that, she received two reaction.  
One with eagerness and the other agony.

"Crashing with Yumi-chan! I approved!" Nashi punched the air with her fist with a cheerful tone and she run to hugged her mother for the suggestion. Lucy smile slightly at her daughter's adorable side, she can't helped but chuckled at the gloomy aura Natsu was emitting.

"No. No no no no! I don't wanna be near 'Shooby doo ba'! His singing is horrible and how on Earth did he managed to win Levy heart with that crappy music lyrics?!" Natsu childishly whined and shook his head to disapproved it.

"So Natsu rather stay here and have food on your own?" Lucy enquired with a smug and Natsu knew from past experience that once Lucy smug is out, it means something is up.  
"Yeah." Natsu swallowed his saliva as he replied to Lucy. He tried to act brave and mighty but the second he saw her claps her hand together and carry Nashi up; something is definitely up on his woman sleeves.

"Awe, that's a pity. I was thinking of preparing fire chicken and fire roast beef for dinner but since our kitchen is down, I would have to prepare it at Levy's house. Oh Nashi, since your father isn't going to Aunt Levy's home, you could have all the flame food I prepare." Natsu gasped at his favourite food and drool at it as if he imagine himself norming onto it. Lucy's cooking was always the one who could fill his bottomless stomach. He however was brought back to reality when he heard his daughter cheerful glee.

"Yay! No snatching from daddy! It's all Nashi can eat!" Nashi cheered with enthusiasm and Lucy turned back to her husband with the same smug.

"So, any second thought?"

"Screw the 'Shooby doo ba' Iron head. I need to protect my bunny girl." Natsu said after getting his priority checked. Lucy's food come first after all.

"Great! I would be calling Levy. Natsu, take care of Nashi for me while I settle the call. Make sure you two doesn't destroy anything else." Lucy placed Nashi back down and she pout at the thought of her father snatching her food. Lucy then leave the duo together as she proceeded outside to use the Lacrima comm to call Levy.

"Awe dad! Why did you have to go too!?" Nashi wasn't selfish or anything but if you add one bottomless tummy with another bottomless tummy, it technically means food war.  
"Why not? We could have another eating competition and the loser would do what the winner would say! Are you up for it, sweetie?" Natsu grinned and he gained back the competitive grinned from his daughter.

"You betcha! I would win this time and I would snatched mummy away from daddy for the night!" Nashi declared her reward and for Natsu, his punishment. Natsu gasped for not cuddling Lucy for a night, calling his daughter evil for doing so.

"No no! I would win! Don't snatched Lucy away from me!" Natsu became all protective over Lucy and Nashi was having a blast for playing with her father. She run to him with her outstretched arms as Natsu carried her up as they continue their childish argument. Even though he is a father, Natsu still tense to be childish and it's an adorable thing as he could see eye to eye with Nashi.

With their little arguments going about in the living room, Lucy came back into the torn down house before coughing to get the duo attention. She had contacted the carpenters for the rebuilding of their home and they would only arrived tomorrow morning. The carpenters might take a week or so to complete the job so for the time being, they are bunking into the Redfox home.

"We need to go for a little utensil shopping before going to Levy's home" Lucy declared and the father daughter pair looked at each other.  
"Why?" They question in unison.

"Have you forgotten who stays in Levy's home?" Lucy sigh as she saw them processing whatever is going on. She could even see a blinking light bulb after they finished the processing.

"Oh… Iron Dragon Slaying magic." Natsu spoke as if he knows everything.

Lucy then nod at his correct answer and continued. "Apparently, Yumi-chan and Gajeel were left alone while Levy was out on a mission and since they were hungry, they ate the utensils."

"HAHAHA! That idiot!" Natsu laughed hardly as tears could be seen from his eyes and Lucy did her famous 'Lucy kick' at his stomach. Nashi managed to squirmed away from him as her mother kicked him. He cried out in pained and had his arms wrapped around his stomach to relieve the pain but does that work? No one knows.

"YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT!" Lucy roared at him as the birds on the tree immediately flew away and the remaining bits of the wooden roof falls apart from the loud noise.

Natsu swore that whatever happens, never anger woman as they have the power to destroy things with just their roar. Woman Slaying Roar as he call that.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you have enjoy reading the fanfic. Do favorite and comment if you like it ^^**


	2. Consequences of the eaten silverware!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm back with another new chapter :D Please comment and at the end of this chapters, there are a few questions for you to answer. Please answer the question ^^
> 
> Things to note:
> 
> Italic means flashback
> 
> Now, let's head onto the next chapter!

* * *

**-Meanwhile in the Redfox household-**

"So there you have it, Gajeel. Lu-chan, Natsu and Nashi would be staying over at ours for the time being and I want you to be nice to Natsu alright? I don't want the house to be destroyed and I don't want to repair it again. Is that clear, Gajeel Redfox?" The bluenette wizard of Fairy Tail threatened her beloved husband in the kitchen as he nods nervously. Right now, Levy was in the midst of punishing the male Iron Dragon Slayer for encouraging their daughter to eat the silverware and now, they had none. Levy thank Mavis that they stayed away from the water pipes as she does not want to go without fresh water for a few days.

"Ye-Yes, Shrimp" Gajeel sweat dropped and even with him being hang upside down by her 'Solid Script, Rope' he still had to call her nickname. The 10 years old, female Iron Dragon Slayer stood beside her 'bat' **(A/N:His hanging upside down)** father with her eyes looking down onto the concrete floor. She didn't know what punishment her mother would give her but if she had hang her father upside down, she might do the same as well. Yumi didn't realized that she had tighten her grip on her navy blue dress as she thought of the punishment.

"What's wrong, Yumi?" Levy asked her after placing her hands above her daughter. The second her daughter looked up at her, there were a few stray tears in her eyes. Levy heart wrenched from seeing the hurt looked in her daughter's eyes.

"Am I going to get hang upside down like daddy too?" Yumi asked with her reddish color eyes followed by a sniffed. Fortunately for the Redfox family, Yumi took more of an appearance to Levy than Gajeel. Her hair color is a little shade darker than Levy blue one's. However, her eyes were red like her father but large like her mother. Yumi heard her mother giggles and pulled her into a tight hugged.

"You're a silly girl aren't you, Yumi? I won't dare hurt my little girl." Levy voice was all motherly and sweet. Yumi then wrapped her tiny arms around her mother's neck as she proceeded to carry her.

"But…" Yumi paused when she saw her mother turned to her after she was lifted up. "It wasn't daddy's fault at all… I started it…" Yumi continued shyly as she started to tap her index fingers together.

In the mind of Gajeel and Levy, they both had one thought and it was that their beloved daughter was adorable.

"It isn't fair… if daddy gets punished while I don't." Yumi faced her mother with determination this time. She would not want her father to cover up for her as she was the one who started it. Gajeel was touched at her confession as he didn't expect that his daughter would want to be punished as well.

**-Flashback -**

_"Alright Mini Shrimp, we are done for the day. Let's pack and go home." Gajeel announced and Yumi bow at her father and also her teacher for teaching her new skills of her Iron Dragon Slaying magic._

_They head over to a lake to drink water before heading back. However, Gajeel saw that Yumi was struggling to move as he remembers that he had went a little too far with the training. He shuddered as he remembers that Levy is a protective mother and whatever reasons it might be, as long as Yumi was injured, she would find out who did it. Gajeel isn't kidding that her 'Levy punch' also known as 'Solid Script, Punch' hurt the iron dragon. He cursed at Salamander's wife for teaching his shrimp that move._

_"Hey, Mini Shrimp" Gajeel called out and Yumi looked into the direction she was called. "Why don't you let me piggyback you back home? If your mother found out about the additional training, we might get grounded."_

_"Is Daddy afraid of Mummy?" Yumi innocently ask and Gajeel blushed from that._

_"Wh-what?! No! I'm not afraid!" Gajeel countered and Yumi laugh a little. Gajeel swore that his daughter gives a cheeky grinned._

_Nonetheless, Gajeel piggyback Yumi back home and on the way back, she had fallen asleep. Most likely due to exhaustion. He didn't admit it to anyone except Levy but he wanted a son. Mainly due to the fact that boys play rougher than girls. However, after seeing that Yumi was strong like him yet gentle like her mother, he didn't regret having a daughter._

_By the time they had return home, the sun had set and food was prepared on the table. The couple tried to wake their daughter up but she was sound asleep. Thus, Levy took over to cleaned her up for bed._

_**~The next day~** _

_"Mum?" Yumi rubbed her tired eyes as she struggles to walk straight. She called out her mother but she didn't hear anyone. She rubbed her growling stomach and wonder into the kitchen to find food but all the food was packed nicely inside the fridge. She would have heated it up but her body was aching._

_As she was half awake, she turns into the direction of the utensils and saw that it was steak. Yumi drool and reach out to it before eating it. She moans in delight and continue to eat it before her father's voice interrupted her._

_"YUMI!" Yumi jumped at her name being called and realized that the fork she was eating wasn't a steak. In fact, the fork was already half eaten. The tip was gone and all that's left was the handler. Yumi look back and forth from the fork to her father to the fridge and realized what she had done._

_"I thought it was…" Yumi apologies as tears starts to form while she waits for her father to lecture her but she wasn't expecting this._

_"Delicious isn't?"_

_"Eh?"_

_"Your mother's magic is inside the utensils. That is why Yumi wasn't able to control your hunger." Gajeel crouched down to her eye level and took her hand where the fork was before eating it for her. He knows that Levy would kill him so why not have some of his delicious wife food as his last meal?_

_"But mummy will…" Gajeel place his fingers on her lips to silence her while he chews on the utensils._

_"Don't say anything to mummy. Just say that I lead you into this mess." Gajeel smiled and Yumi went to hug her father. She knew her father was trying to protect her but she doesn't feel easy about it._

_So in the end, it was because of a hungry dragon slayer which causes the utensils to be eaten._

**-Flashback ends-**

Levy sighed as Yumi had already told her for the 5th time that it was her who started it and it sort of lead her dad into it. They had raised their daughter well as she would take responsible for the things she had done.

"If Yumi really wants a punishment…" Levy sighed as she thought of the perfect punishment but she isn't getting anything. Reason is due to the fact that Yumi took more on Levy's characteristic. Yumi's obedient and tense to read more than fighting. Which is why their house is still standing.

With another sighed, Levy spoke. "The punishment would be that you would not be going to the book fair the following week and I would not be getting any books for you as well."

Levy swore that Yumi had her jaws dropped but at the same time, she wanted the punishment so she has to do it. With a nod, she agrees to her mother's punishment. But someone at the background doesn't seems happy about it.

"Hey shrimp! Wait! What is with the different treatment?!" Gajeel yelled out as he tried to break free from the rope but the more he struggles, the tighter it became. Levy turned around with a deadpanned looked.

"Well, it's obviously. She's my daughter." Levy snuggled against Yumi's neck which resulted in some ticklish giggles as her frown was replaced with her mother's love. At the same time, Levy stuck her tongue out to emphasis her point that her daughter is important to her. Gajeel is important to her as well but for the time being, let's say that she enjoys teasing him.

"But I'm your husband!" Gajeel tried to reason to her as he was losing the 'battle' against his own biological daughter.

"She's my flesh and blood." Levy loved to teased her dragon slayer as she could see that look of 'No, don't leave me behind!'

"But without me, we won't have Yumi!"

"Without you, I won't have found true love." Levy absentmindedly spoke and the second she realized it, she started to blush. Gajeel had a smirked on his face as his shrimp had fallen into his trap while Yumi had a clueless one.

"Is mummy having a fever?" Yumi asked after placing her hands onto Levy's forehead, snapping her out of her thought.

"No Sweetie, I'm just thinking on how did I managed to love your father" Levy then rubbed her cheeks against Yumi hands as Yumi smile from the affection she was getting.

"Because you love me!" Gajeel interrupted their little moment and Levy chuckle as she knows that Gajeel wants to include himself somewhere in the conversation.

"Well, that's certainly true."

"See~ So may I be released?" Gajeel plead once more as he felt that his head has started to hurt.

"Unless you promise me that you won't fight with Natsu when he arrives." Gajeel had his jaws dropped when she said that. For some unknown reason, Salamander and him just does not get along. They are like a wolf from another gang, fighting for dominance. If dragons had that kind of dominance instinct that is. Heck, why are they even fighting for dominance when they are a leader of their own 'pack'.

"Can't promise that." Gajeel said in a straight face and Levy sighed.

"Have fun hanging there! Come on Yumi, let's go read some of Aunt Lucy's book." Levy suggested to her daughter and she saw the wide smile on her face. She then walked out of the living room, her daughter secured on her arms.

"Yay! Aunt Lucy books are the best!" Yumi cheered.

"Oi Shrimp! Put me down! Mini Shrimp, come back!" Gajeel called out again but this time, they ignored him. He heard them giggles in the living room for who know what reasons. Are books that interesting?

He cursed under his breath at his woman but at the end of the day, no matter what, the two of them still love one another. That was the promised they make at their wedding.

Without their love, they won't have Yumi and they won't have experience what parenting was. If Levy didn't change him, he would still be living like a lone wolf. He doesn't have much friends except Juvia as they used to be in a Dark Guild also known as, Phantom Lord and one thing for sure is that dark guild doesn't care about friends. The things they care about is power and fights.

Levy was the first person Gajeel protected and was also the first person who managed to knocked him out with just a bag ( **A/N: from Tenroujima Arc** ). She was the one who give him happiness and a reason to live in this beautiful world. Without her, what would he become?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Remember to comment! To make things easier, here's a few questions.
> 
> 1) How do you feel about this chapter?
> 
> 2) Do you want Gajeel wish to be fulfilled? (For having a son)
> 
> 3) Do you have any suggestion for future chapters?
> 
> 4) Which pairing would you like to see with their family? (Don't worry, this fanfic would have multiple chapters depending on how many people like it ^^)


	3. Pops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, if there are any errors, I apologies for it.
> 
> Now let's hop onto the story!

"Pops… Hey Pops…."A 10 years old raven haired boy stood beside his parents bed. It was early in the morning, most likely before sunrise but the raven haired boy was already up for his training. After he heard that his father had no intention of waking up he called one more time.

"Pops"

No response.

"Pops…"

"Gray-sama, Silver-sama is calling for you" The boy called Silver, heard his mother voiced and he heard another groaned beside her. After all these years, Juvia is not changing her habit but Gray doesn't care. After all, she only called 'sama' to her family members.

"Go and sleep, Silver. It's early." His father called out in a sleepy tone followed with a yawn and pulled his woman closer to him. Soft giggles could be heard but the boy stood firmly with a disgusted looked at the same time.

"Pops said that you would train me on the devil slaying magic today. I can't let Fire Lizard win me." Silver frowned as he realized that his father wasn't getting out of bed as his gripped against his mother tightened.

"Yeah I did but, I didn't say that our training would commence early in the morning. Beside, your mother's going on a quick mission in an hour time and I want to spend my time with her. Or… does Silver want to join in too?" Gray snickered as Silver rolled his eyes. He couldn't stand that his father is all clingy to his mother but deep down, he really wants to hug his mother too.

It was only a secret between the mother and son as Juvia knows that when Gray is out on a few days mission, Silver would be very attached to her. He's a sweet boy when no one is around but when others is, he acts like a cool boy. Badass according to Gray. Nashi called him show off.

"No. Come on pops. Let go of mum so that she could rest. She can't rest with your ice cold body beside her."

"And she can't rest with you talking so loudly." Gray countered back at his son as he fully knows that Silver is trying to piss him off. The father and son pair started to argue between each other and Juvia groaned to get their attention.

"The two of you… just leave the room" Juvia spoke out and pulled the blanket over her head. She pushed herself away a little from Gray to indicate to him that he needs to leave too.

"Nice going, son." Gray grumbled as he pushed himself off the bed to wash up while a cheeky look was on Silver's face.

"You're welcome, pops" Silver grinned and left his parents room and head over to the living room to prepare breakfast for his parents. He is a reliable and sensible child according to Juvia and Gray but if Nashi was to be in the picture, things would very be different.

As Silver prepared the peanut butter bread, coffee and tea, he heard his father coming down stairs with just his pants. Shirtless as usual.

"Pops, your clothes" Silver reminds him and Gray yawned out before eyeing onto his son.

"And so are you." Silver then looked down onto himself and saw that his shirtless too. Since when had he stripped?!

"What?! Since when?! Pops! Your habit is rubbing on me and why did I even inherited your stripping habit?!" Silver shout out and finds that his shirt was on the couch. How on Earth did it even fly there? But he is thankful that it 'flew' there instead of the stove.

Gray snickered a laugh again and sat onto his usual sit at the dining room which is at the edge. He poured himself the black coffee and placed his elbow onto the table before eyeing his son.

"So what's your big deal with Nashi?"

"Fire Lizard is always training with Natsu-san early in the morning so I can't let Fire Lizard win the next fight. Not like we could even fight to get a winner since Reiku would always interrupt the match." Silver grumbled as he rubbed his sore head from 2 days ago. He and Nashi went into a brawl at the guild after being separated for 2 weeks due to their family mission. Even at a young age, they are allowed to follow their parents on their mission. However, if they were to take a job, minimum 2 person, Mirajane had to approve it.

Gray just nod from listening to his son's situation. His aware that Silver is a competitive wizard and the rivalry between Natsu's daughter and him.

"So Pops, I want to learn the ice devil slaying magic! Pops told me that granddad taught it to you. So I want to learn it from pops as well." Silver said in a determined voice after his dad started to eat the bread that Silver had prepared.

"Well, it would take quite a while to master the slaying magic but seeing how Silver's using your ice-make magic, I'm sure you would be able to master it in no time."

Hearing the praise, Silver grinned and asked. "So Pops, how long did it take for you to learn it?"

"The old man give it to me in less than 5 second."

"5 SECONDS?!" Silver eyes widened as soon as he heard that. He didn't catch the 'give it' part.

"But mastering it took about a year or so. Your mother and I were training every day to get a hang of it."

"Hmm, so by using my age, I had already mastered fully my ice make magic and with mum's water magic, I believed I can continue to improve. If I were to learn ice slaying magic and master it, I would take about 1 and a half years in average and that would makes me 11 years old. Hmm, I would be able to learn 3 different style of magic by 12 years old. Oh! I win Fire Lizard by 2 magic style by the time I reached the eligible age for the S class advancement!" Silver started to count on his fingers and talking to himself about his analyse portion. Gray was snapping his fingers in front of him to snap him out of his thought but was failing. This was something that Silver had inherited from Juvia.

"Earth to Silver Fullbuster, Earth to Silver Fullbuster" Gray called out to get his son's attention and when Gray saw the imaginary thought bubble burst, he knew that his son is back.

"Yeah, pops?" Silver innocently asked after returning back from his trance. Gray sweat dropped at how easily he could space out but nonetheless, didn't question him.

"After we are done with breakfast, we are going for a run before training start. Are you prepared for it?"

With a grinned and determination, Silver nod with enthusiasm before eating down his breakfast as fast as he could.

"Woa, slow down there buddy! We have like an hour or so before sun rise." Gray announced as he look out at the window just beside them. There was barely any ray of sunlight. His son shook his head before answering him with half a bread in his mouth.

"Nu tim fur dat!" However, he received a smacked on his head as he felt another familiar presence approaching him.

"Silver-sama, manners please." The water mage reminded him and he frowned but apologize afterwards. Juvia then took her seat between Gray and her son as Gray poured green tea for her.

"Juvia, shouldn't you be in bed right now? You need adequate rest for the mission." Gray asked with a worried look but Juvia wave her hands in a playful manner.

"As one, without Gray-sama by my side, I couldn't sleep well and for two, the mission requires half a day as a water mage is requested to showcase water display for an audience during a water performance. So I would be done by mid-afternoon." Juvia spoke and Gray seems to buy that.

Before he could continue, Silver slammed down his utensils to gain his parents attention. "I'm done! Let's go training, Pops!" Silver enthusiastically jumped off his seat and went to his father side to emphasis his pump up energy.

Juvia snickered a laughed at how adorable her son was while Gray sighed. Nonetheless, Gray stood up and stretch his back till he heard a satisfying 'pop' sound before eyeing onto his son.

"Make sure you're ready for a beating." A grinned forming on the older ice wizard face while the younger one gives a thumbs up with a smile.

"Since when had I not came back with bruises on my body?" The younger one resorted which resulted in a half-hearted laugh.

"Juvia, do you want to do some morning practice as well?" Gray tilt his head back to asked his water mage and the response was a shock of her head.

"Nope, you two should enjoy each other's company once in a while. After all, it has been a few weeks since the two of you had any training together." It wasn't a lie though. Gray and Erza took on a mission which causes him to be away from home for 2 weeks.

"Eh, alright then. Take care when you're doing your mission, Juvia. I love you." Gray then walk back to do a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you too, Gray-sama" Juvia returned a quick peek on his cheek before they heard a groaning sound followed by a 'Ewwwwww' from their son. Both the adults shared a laugher before Gray walked forward to join up with his son who had covered his eyes from the exchange his parents did.

"Come on, buddy. Someday, you would find it hard to resist the urge." Gray pocketed his hands in his jeans while a bright red flushed was on Silver's face as he tries to cover his ears to prevent his father from elaborating even more.

"N-No!"

Juvia then watches both the father-son pair walked past the dining room and to the front door where they bid and wave goodbye to her. Juvia waved back with a smile and mouth a 'Good luck' to them as she knows Silver needs it the most. Their home is located deep in the eastern forest of Magnolia town so they won't be disturbing anyone during their morning training. Why is that so? You would find out how 'quiet' they are since it's just a run isn't?

Once the door was closed shut, Juvia leaned back against the chair and observed her surroundings. The warm cozy feeling of having a family despite her being close to 2 ice mages was getting onto her. She wonders how she managed to get this future but nonetheless, didn't want to question fate. After all, all her work paid off after 'following' her Gray-sama for a looooooong time. Now, she was officially called 'Juvia Fullbuster'.

As Juvia reminiscence the past memories, she heard the sound of scattered icicles and cannon blast whom she presume is the one blasting the icicles. Juvia could see their shadow from the translucent window located just beside the front door.

"WAIT POPS! YOU SAID RUNNING!" Silver managed to fend off the icicles shot with his 'Water Slicer' but when another wave shot out, he had to jump forward to dodge it.

"Run like a prey, Silver." Gray chuckled with an evil grinned appearing on his face as he took a step closer to Silver. The ice cannon on his shoulder as support before he fires another wave. Silver had only one option left.

Run

From this angle, it looks like Silver was being pursued by a killer and this causes Juvia to giggles at how the father-son duo does their training. A harsh and tedious training but it is an effective way to train her competitive son.


	4. Challenge between Mother and Child

"I, Reiku Fernandes, hereby challenge Titania, Erza Fernandes, to a strawberry cake challenge!" A 13 years old blue haired boy points his index finger to his seated challenger in the living room who was also known as his mother. He had brown eyes that he inherited from his parents while his physical and body tone was like his father. He was wearing a sleeveless white shirt for easier movement and brown bermudas for pants.

"Heh?" the scarlet woman, Erza Scarlet which was now Erza Fernandes, raised an eyebrow at her son as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You do know the results would be the same don't you?" The smug look plastered on her face.

"It's not the same if I don't try it!" The boy, Reiku, countered back as he saw his mother stood up from her seat. A brown notebook requip into her hand and she started to flip through it until she reached the bookmark page.

"Hmm, it seems that my dearest son had lost to me 699th times. Would this be my 700th time of winning?" Erza taunted which makes her son fumed.

A black notebook was then requip into the hands of Reiku and he flipped his as well. "That's a lie, mum! It's only 689th time of my lost!" He then showed her the number of lost he had.

"Judging by the number of times that we have compete, the chances of Reiku winning is… oh look, Zero~. Reiku had never won once." Erza continued to taunt with a smirk gracing her face while Reiku tries to countered back by saying things would be different this time.

"Let's start the competition! Dad bought 25 slice strawberry cake plus he won 1 golden one as well! Only the winner could eat the golden strawberry cake which is the sweetest and rarest strawberry ever found!" Reiku announced and Erza glanced to the strawberry cake packaged on the dining table.

Jellal just returned from defeating one of the major dark guild so currently he is free for the time being. While making his way back to his family in Magnolia, he spotted a newly opened cake shop and for every 25 cake purchased, the customers are entitled to a lucky draw. The first prize being the golden strawberry cake which could only be harvested up in the mountain once every 10 years. **(A/N: I know the initial year is 10,000 years but in the anime, Asuka had already eaten it. Thus, I changed it to 10 years instead.)**

It's the rarest form of strawberry as within the strawberry harvesting area, there's only a maximum of 2 throughout the strawberry garden. Thus, it's a rarity.

With Jellal luck, he managed to win the golden strawberry cake and that is also the reason why both mother and son wanted it as Reiku had the exact sweet tooth like his mother.

Snickering, Erza fold her arms before readdressing to her son. "Very well, the winner would get the golden strawberry cake." After hearing that, Reiku eyes shows a spark of hope that maybe this time, he could get something in return. With a smirked this time, both of them went over to the dining table and started to unpacked the cakes with one goal in mind.

_'The Golden Strawberry Cake is mine'_

They placed the cakes onto empty ceramic plates and with a tray to help carry the plates outside, they line the plates side by side onto two long bench to form a line.

The Fernandes household is located on the western side of Magnolia forest and they set a training ground just beside it which measures 50 by 70 meters with runes around it to prevent any real damage from escaping the training ground.

The distance between the bench and their starting point is a good 70 meters which also means the length of the training ground. The rules are as following.

_1) Participants are required to return back to the starting line after eating a successful cake and participants had to do 20 jumping jacks before they could reach the next cake._

_2) No magic or any form of combat is allowed during the challenge._

_3) Participants are allowed to plan their route of eating the cake as there isn't a need to eat in descending ordering._

_4) There are no rule of how many cakes participants are required to eat. It all depends on the number of cakes participants eats to win._

_5) Waters are provided at the side of the training ground. Feel free to use it but keep in mind that your opponent would widen the distance._

_6) On the last cake standing, the person who gets the fork instead would be declared the winner. No jumping jacks are required._

_7) Give your 101% determination of winning as if your life depends on it._

Who says an eating competition would just be sitting there and eat? In the Fernandes household, it requires stamina and speed to get what you want. Which is also the reason why they doesn't gain any weight.

As the mother son paired does their warm out, Jellal and his 5 years old daughter, Mitsu Fernandes, watches them by standing outside the training ground at a safe distance.

"Papa, papa!" little Mitsu tugged onto Jellal's coat and stretched her hands up to indicate to him that she wants a carry. Jellal then adjusted his clothing before lifting up his princess. His princess had her mother's scarlet hair which reaches her shoulder and large brown eyes. She's wearing a one piece sailor print dress which reaches to her knee.

There's no mistake that Mitsu is Erza's daughter just by appearance wise. She however, was learning Heavenly Body Magic as she preferred long range attack.

"Yes, Mitsu?" Jellal asked after his daughter was secured on his arm. Mitsu then point to her mother and older brother to emphasis on her upcoming point.

"Mama and Nii-chama are going at it again! Though Nii-chama had 0.00589% chance of winning against mama, I believe in Nii-chama could do it!" Mitsu cheered and direct her attention back to the training ground before her father could say anything.

"Nii-chama! Nii-chama! Good luck!" Mitsu waved to her older brother with a wide smile. Reiku sensed that his sister was cheering for him and waved back with a grinned.

"Sister Complex I suppose." Reiku heard his mother chuckled beside him and a loud aghast noise could be heard by the teenager.

"How could you say that, mum?!" He frowned and folded his arm in front of his chest. "I'm just protective over Mitsu! Older siblings are supposed to protect their little siblings in whatever ways we can! It's like how Mirai took care of Eev and Rin when all of them are cousins!" Reiku tried to explain to his mother while a smug look was on her face. A look of 'Oh, really?'

"WELL! Anyway! Let's start the competition!" Reiku tried to change the subject and this in turn causes Erza to snap her though while focusing on the goal she had.

"Jellal! Could you do the honour of counting down?" Erza called out to the father of her kids this time and her voice came unprepared for him.

"Ye-Yes, certainly." Jellal startled but nonetheless, cough to regain his composure. Mitsu soft giggles could be heard at how her father could still be afraid of her mother.

"The match between Erza Fernandes and Reiku Fernandes will commence in...3" Both Erza and Reiku squint their eyes onto the line cakes in front of them.

"Nii-chama, good luck!"

"2…" Their fist tightened as the tense sweat dropped from their forehead.

"Mama, good luck!"

"1…" Their body bend forward to prepare themselves for the take off.

"Go!" Jellal called out and this signal the pair to do a sprint. Dust could be seen flying from where they start off and they saw that Reiku was slightly in front of Erza.

"Go Nii-chama!" Mitsu cheered again as she flunk her hands in the air. Reiku got to one of the table first and he took the fork before shoving large pieces of the strawberry cake into his mouth. He was also the first one to finish eating the cake and doing 20 jumping jacks.

' _Maybe I can win this time!'_ Reiku thought to himself and saw that his mother was still on her 5th jumping jacks. There was a magical billboard at the side of the training ground to indicate how many jumping jacks they had done and how many cakes they had eaten. A big letter R and E which shows 20 and 5 respectively for the jumping jacks and 1 and 1 to the number of cakes they had eaten.

Reiku then went back into his sprinting fits to make sure that he had widen the distance between his score and his mother's one.

However, the decision to sprint at the beginning took a toll on his stamina in the late game.

By the time he was on the 11th cake and had finished his 220th jumping jack, he was already panting due to the lack of oxygen. Reiku bend forward as he placed his hand onto his knee to catch his breath while he saw his mother running at a constant speed back to the starting line to do her 180th to 200th jumping jack.

The score right now was 220 to 200, 11 and 10 for Reiku and Erza. Just 4 more cakes left.

"What? Reiku's down?" Erza asked after she had done her 200th jumping jack after wiping off the sweat. Before Reiku could even answer her, she was already on the way of getting her 11th cake.

"Urg!" Reiku tried to run forward but his legs were giving him the signal to rest. He needs to miss the next cake at this point so he walked to the water station to hydrate himself.

After that, he saw his mother running back to the starting line to do her jumping jack so he mustered his strength to jog forward to get his 12th cake.

However, he wasn't expecting a sudden quick presence close to him and before he knows it, his mother was already in front of him. He tries to keep himself near his mother but the distance just went wider and wider as his speed decreases.

No matter how much strategies he had comes up with, there was never a time where he could actually win her. Was it possible to even win? Thoughts like that were running through Reiku's mind.

As he finally reached his 12th cake, Erza had already ate hers and was on the way back to the starting line to do her jumping jacks. However, she went over to the water station to catch her breath and to hydrate herself.

Reiku then took this chance to finish eating up his cake and jogged back to the starting line where his mother had just finished her 4th cup of water before proceeding back to the starting line. At this point, both of them were running side by side.

* * *

 "Papa! Papa!" Mitsu once again tugged onto Jellal's clothing to get his attention as he was eyeing on both of them closely. 12 vs 12, 1 more cake left and that would be the end of the competition. Would his wife actually let her son win this for him to eat the strawberry cake? He doesn't know the results as this was a strawberry cake competition he was referring to.

Erza never went easy on anyone who challenge her on it. Even her son. There was never a phrased called 'holding back' in her dictionary. Which was also the reason why the score was 689 to 0. 689 wins for Erza and 0 wins for Reiku.

Even though some of the competition wasn't eating strawberry cakes for example snowball fight during winter, strawberry picking during the harvest season and etc, Erza still doesn't give any wins to Reiku as the reward for the winner is still top notch strawberry cake bought by Jellal. He could have bought 2 but most of the top notch cakes are lucky drawed. Why did he had such good luck in lucky draws?

"Hmm?" Jellal hummed to let her know that his listening.

"Listen! Even when Nii-chama losses this match, he would also be my best Nii-chama! So in my eyes, he's a winner to me!" Jellal swear to the grave of Mavis that his daughter is adorable. His heart melt when she said that and he kissed her forehead to show affection to her.

"Mitsu really love her older brother isn't?" Mitsu give a toothy grinned and nod with enthusiasm.

Their attention was back to the mother son pair as they did their last 240th jumping jack.

* * *

By now, Reiku was panting with exhaustion while his mother was still in a pretty good shape. The water might have helped replenished her stamina.

"Last lap huh? Well, good luck!" With that, Erza sprinted forward and Reiku quickly chased after her.

_40 meters left_

' _Don't give up on me, leg!'_ Reiku struggled as he run side by side with his mother.

_30 meters left_

' _His pushing himself to win, maybe I should let him win for once? No I can't, the golden strawberry cake is the reward. I must get my hands on it.'_ Erza thought to herself and shakes the idea of holding back while Reiku stick closed to her.

_20 meters left_

' _It would be a close fight. He had improved tremendously ever since the day he had challenged Erza.'_ Jellal watches them closely as cold sweat starts to formed. It always gets intimidating on the last lap.

_10 meters left_

"Go Nii-chama! Go Mama!" Mitsu cheered out as they got closer and closer to the last cake.

"IT'S MINE!" Their arms were stretched out to get the fork on the plate and eventually, they crashed onto each other. However, one of them felt the fork on hand.

Jellal and Mitsu watched as dust covered the pair and waited in anticipation for the results. Who would win? Reiku or Erza?

Finally, the dust cleared and both of them were lying on the ground but in Erza's hand, was the fork.

"Looks like I won, Reiku" Erza smirked while Reiku groaned in frustration. Erza lift herself up and stretched out her other hand towards Reiku.

"Need a hand?" She asked in a motherly tone while Reiku hesitated for a while. Eventually, he complied and took up the offer.

"And so, the competition had ended and the winner is Erza Fernandes." Jellal called out to declared the winner and at the same time, he let little Mitsu down.

"Nii-chama!" The Fernandes youngest member screamed out with her high pitch voice and run to where the paired was. She tackled Reiku's leg which causes him to stagged a little. Jellal not far behind her.

"Nii-chama may have lost but…" Mitsu looked up to her older brother with a wide smiled. "Nii-chama would also be a winner to me! Remember that, Nii-chama!" Now it was Reiku's turn to felt touched by his younger sister confession.

"Thank you, Mitsu." He bend down to her eye level and caresses her head as he heard soft giggles from her. This in turn causes him to smile despite his lost.

"Arhhhhhh," Reiku groaned and stood up before reequipping the black notebook into his hand. His mother doing the same as well after she had finished eating the cake. "Next time, I would not lost again!" He then updated his notebook with the pen that comes along with it.

He wrote '690th, Lost' while his mother wrote '690th, Won'. Both of them exchanged notebook to sign to indicate that everything is correct. They love to go by the books so Jellal didn't question their habit.

"Bring it on. I would be waiting for the day that you would eventually break my winning streak of 670." Erza commented and the two shook hand as a form of good sportsmanship.

With that settled, the family of 4 packed away the benches and brought back the utensils and plates to the kitchen.

At the dining table, Jellal took out 2 remaining cakes. A Chocolate and Vanilla. Chocolate for Mitsu and vanilla for himself. Jellal thanks the God or maybe even Mavis that one of his child is not a fan of strawberry. It could have come down to a 3-way competition.

He has no problem with Erza liking strawberry cakes but it's just too much. After all, this what makes up, Erza. Without her liking of strawberry cakes, it just wasn't like her.

Erza then dine into the golden strawberry cake which was placed in the fridge to maintain its freshness. Her eyes were sparkling from just having the first bite as she soon found herself in her own world.

Reiku knows from past experience that his mother would never share her cakes that she had won. After all, a bet is a bet. The loser had to suffer the chance of getting whatever the thing they bet on.

Everyone knows that they should not interrupt her at any course. With Reiku sulking from losing the chance of eating the golden strawberry cake, Mitsu offered a fork of her chocolate cake that Jellal had bought specifically for her since she prefers chocolate to strawberry and she had a small appetite for food.

Reiku denied it at first but once Mitsu pulled out her puppy eyes and pout, he quickly took the offered and ate it. The worse thing he want was to make his little sister cry.

And so, this was a typical day of the Fernandes household where Jellal returns home from his mission. If he had keep up with his 'fiancee' lies, would he be able to hear or see his own children's voice? The answer to that would be a no.


	5. Meaning of her name

"There we go, Mirai! Could you reached the hooks on the wall?" The retired master of Fairy Tail, Makarov Dreyar, uses his 'Giant' magic to lift his 13 years old white haired great granddaughter of the she-demon mage and lightning dragon mage. His great granddaughter on his shoulder as she tried to take off the celebration banner of her father being the next master of Fairy Tail for 10 years in Fairy Tail guild hall. It was hang there for over 6 months and they were just far too lazy to take it down.

It was still early in the morning about 8am so there were not a lot of people in the guild yet.

"N-noooo~ A l-little to the right, Hii-ji san." The said girl, Mirai Dreyar, requested after she failed to unhook the top right banner edge. They could have easily use the ladder but why use it when there's magic to help?

Mirai's appearance greatly resembles Mirajane ranging from her hair color and eyes but she kept her bangs flat down on her forehead instead of tying it. Her waist length hair emphasises on her beauty as well.

She love wearing one piece dresses especially sequin pattern. Right now, she was wearing a black dress with light blue sequin running across the dress in a wave-like pattern. One pattern on the utmost top and the other at the utmost bottom of the dress. In the centre was a coral reef design embroidered out of sequin as well.

"A little to the right? There?" Makarov adjusted himself until he heard a "Stop!" from Mirai. Makarov stopped and Mirai started to work on the unhooking of the banner which was tied by a knot.

"Be careful you two!" down on the floor, the she-demon, also known as Mirajane Dreylar now, called out to the paired. A unison voice of 'Haiiii~' replied her.

Mirajane had to admit as this was pretty cute watching her daughter interact with the ex-master of Fairy Tail. It brings back memories of her interacting with him. After all, every one of the previous generation of Fairy Tail knew that Makarov was like a father figure to them. To be frank, when all the adults watched their kids interact with Makarov, they felt blessed to be in Fairy Tail. It was because of him that he invited them into this big family.

Mirajane then placed plates of omelette, sunny-side up eggs, waffles, french toast, bacon and hashed brown on one of the table of the guild as they had not had breakfast yet. After that, she set coffee, tea, apple and orange juice in jugs for easier use. By the time she was done setting the breakfast table, she heard footsteps approaching her. She turned and saw that her daughter and Makarov were both making their ways to the bench for breakfast. However, she didn't missed her daughter looking around the guild as if she was finding someone.

"Is Pop's here?" Mirai asked. Her ears twitching as she tries to locate her father. The two adults exchanged looked before Mirajane approached her daugher. She placed her hand onto her shoulder which gets the white haired girl attention.

"Mirai, sweetie, your father had a lot of things to do as a guild master so his in Era…" Mirajane was stopped when the creaking sound of the guild doors open up. A silhouette yet familiar figure stood at the entrance.

"Don't further explain it, Mira. Let me do it." the sound that Mirai wanted to hear causes her to look at the direction of the figure. Her face lit up and she run to the figure.

"Pops!" Mirai run into the arms of her father and Laxus returned a hug. They had never seen each other for over 2 months so a long duration hug was needed. He heard his wife and grandfather approached next so Laxus signal them to join in with the hug which they did.

After a few seconds, they break apart from the hug but Mirajane and Laxus were both interlocking their fingers together.

"My boy, good to see you back home." Makarov said with his hand behind his back while Laxus grinned sheepishly at him before scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, it's been over 2 months. The meeting went on and on and we had to make sure that security is stable throughout Ishgar so we implemented lacrima security camera and emergency barriers. It took us awhile due to some village which were not registered in the system." Laxus explained and both his grandfather and wife nod while his daughter showed great admiration to him.

"That's amazing! Pop is watching over us so I should not have been upset about it." Laxus felt guilty for leaving that long. He crouched to her eye level and held her hands together in his large one.

"Mirai, I'm sorry for leaving you for so long. I know you were lonely without me while the others had their father's with them so..." Laxus explained to his little girl but she interrupted him.

"I know pops responsibility is high and all but I'm overjoyed to have you as my pops. I heard facts and stories about grandfather and I know that pops didn't want me to suffer the same thing as you did when you were younger. I also do know that pops tried to make time for me, mum and Hii-ji san so I'm not that upset about it." Laxus heart melt when he heard that. The guilt was still eating him but he was reassured at the same time.

"Mirai…" Laxus pulled her into a tight hug once more and the young Dreyar return one as well. Mirajane on the other hand awe at this sight and at the same time, took the lacrima cam to snap a picture of them. One thing she treasure most was family.

After a few more seconds, the father daughter pair broke away and with the family of 4, they walked to the table to resume eating their breakfast. Mirajane took another plate for Laxus and they started laughing and sharing whatever things that had happen through the months.

Soon, the family were done eating and both Mirajane and Mirai started doing the dishes while the males continue on with the councillor topic at the table.

Suddenly, Mirai had a question she always wanted to ask but didn't get the chance. "Mum, I have a question to ask." Mirai turned to her mother after she was done wiping dry the dishes.

"Yes, sweetie?" Mirajane question as she took the dry dishes off the hands of her daughter before storing them back into their respective cabinet.

"This may sound rude and all but…" Mirai paused for awhile as she hang her head. She sense that her mother was giving her a blank look. Mustering her strength, she took a deep breathe in and gulped down the saliva.

"Why was I named 'Mirai'?" Mirai saw that her mother was taken aback from the sudden question and before she gets a lecture for being 'rude', she continued. "I mean, Nashi got her name from both Natsu-san and Lucy-san, Silver got his from his grandfather and Yumi, Reiku and Mitsu doesn't have any similar name from either one of their parents. But I'm curious about my name as I'm named closely to you, mum."

Mirajane took a few second to process what she just said before placing her index finger to her chin as if she was thinking hardly. After a few seconds, she smile and place her hand onto her daughter's head. "Your name had a story to it."

"A story?" Mirai crooked her head sideways and saw that her father was approaching them by the counter. He propped his arm onto the counter and continue for his wife.

"Yeah, if not, you would have been called Ryoko."

"Meaning 'Dragon'?" The question was answered by their nod.

"Why don't Mirai take a seat by the counter? This story would take awhile to finished" Mirajane suggested and the young girl nod and walked to the counter seat beside her father. Makarov as well walked to the counter to listen to the story even though he was aware on how Mirai got her name.

Now with enthusiasm filled the young white haired Dreyar eyes, Mirajane handed her an orange juice so that she could sip it while she listen.

"Let's see… It all happens 13+ years ago~" Mirajane started the story as Mirai drank sips of her orange juice.

* * *

**_~Flashback~_ **

_"Laxus! We have a problem with Ryoko!" Mirajane screeched out in the middle of the night. She was breathless and sweats were visible on her forehead. Currently, she's 39 weeks or 9 months 3 weeks pregnant but up till now, there was no sign of baby Ryoko appearing. Her due date was passed by 2 weeks._

_"Mm…?" Laxus mumbled and lazily sat up on the bed beside his worried wife._

_"I can't sense Ryoko's movement and magic! She was kicking weakly for a short period of time but it suddenly stopped!" To Laxus, he would think that it was all just part of the pregnancy but he remembers what Wendy and Porlyusica said when they found out Mira was 4 months pregnant. Wendy was learning magic from Porlyusica after all._

_'Ryoko is competing with the demon blood or maybe even magic that Mira-san had. It's life threatening as demons are known to be destruction and brings death while babies symbolized life and hope. It's the opposite of both. Like light and darkness.' Wendy hesitated to speak to the couple this way as she knows that all soon-to-be-parents tends to be on the edge when their kids are affected._

_Mira wasn't feeling the slightest bit better since she had to compress her magic to prevent any further damage to her baby girl. It however, backfired when exhaustion finally took a toll on her health. This causes the reason why she couldn't sense Ryoko's life anymore._

_Laxus didn't have to be told that his wife and daughter is in danger. He immediately rang up Wendy using the lacrima comm and after a few seconds, she answered with a sleepy tone._

_"Wendy! Mira is having difficulties in breathing and I can feel that Ryoko's presence is faint!" Laxus yelled through the lacrima comm to get her attention and that actually helps in waking one person up._

_"I would be ready in the guild's infirmary!" Wendy rely the message as Laxus nod before ending the lacrima comm. He scoped Mira up in one swift movement but being careful with her before running downstairs to the infirmary. He didn't forget to alert his grandfather so that he could contact Porlyusica._

_Laxus's family were staying in the apartment above the guild as their house were still being constructed. He burst right through the doors of the infirmary and placed Mirajane onto one of the closest bed as he heard her panting._

_"La...Laxus…" Laxus turned to his now paled wife as she weakly held his hand. Her hands were trembling and Laxus knew that she's afraid._

_"Don't worry, Mira. I would be here. We will face it together." Laxus interlocked fingers with her to mark his words as Mira nod her head slightly to acknowledge it. After a few more minutes, Wendy came bursting through the infirmary door with Carla behind her._

_"When did it happen?" Wendy asked as she started to use her sky magic to sense the problem. Mira struggled to breathe as if her own magic was choking her. At the same time, Porlyusica enter to help Wendy with this._

_"About 10 minute or so." Laxus answered and he say Wendy's face went from shocked to horror._

_"N..No… It can't be!"_

_"What 'it can't be'?!" Laxus quoted back and demanded an answer right now. Wendy look dead on to the pair as they waited for the news._

_"Ryoko's presence is faint and I can barely feel her heart beat. We need to do a caesarean in order for Ryoko to survive."_

_Without needing any consideration, Mirajane opted for the caesarean. One reason is because she wants Ryoko to live and the other reason is to get rid of the pain as soon as possible. Laxus agreed to it as well as time was ticking quickly. The healers then proceed with the procedure and they told Laxus to wait outside the room while they save both mother and child._

**_~A few hours pass~_ **

_"Come on, Laxus, even if you paced back and forth for the nth time, it's still the same." The pink haired dragon slayer told him as he leaned against the wall. He had observed Laxus walked up and down the hallway for the utmost time, most likely trying to keep himself busy._

_"They had been there for hours. Did something happen? I could smell the blood but I can't tell what is happening." Laxus admitted that he was worried. The healers had told Freed to put a soundproof rune around the infirmary. He had also informed Natsu and the others about Mira's condition and all of them went to the guild to wait for the results. Even a heavily pregnant Erza came as well. It was to be expected since Ryoko is the first child of the next generation and also a Dreyar._

_Before anyone could ask another question, the lights of the emergency surgery were off and Wendy came out of the room. She was then swarmed by her guild mates, asking her countless question but after she rephrased everything, it came down to one simple question._

_"How was it?" Makarov was the one who asked this time. Wendy smiled at them before giving them a thumbs up._

_"Both mother and child are safe. We are sorry that it took us long as we wanted to make sure that Mira-san condition is stable. She's awake now but try not to swarm her." With that, the group allowed Laxus and Makarov to enter first since this is an internal family thing. If not, they would have just rushed in like nobody's business. Typical Fairy Tail._

_Laxus walked up to the hospital bed and saw that his beautiful wife was leaning against the pillow while cuddling a pink bundle._

_"Hey, how are you feeling?" Laxus first question was that and he wanted to smack himself for that stupid question._

_"Hmm, does getting myself sliced up while I was asleep sounds awesome?" Even with the weak condition she was in, she was still able to crack a joke. This resulted in the two male Dreyar shrugging their shoulders before exchanging a look of 'Is she in the right mind now?'_

_"How's Ryoko too?" Makarov asked this time and Mirajane seems to divert her attention slightly._

_"Well, I was thinking of renaming her."_

_Laxus raised an eyebrow at her as he sat on the sit beside the bed. He leaned to her side to see his bundle of joy she was carrying._

_Fair skin, round face and a tiny body frame._

_"Do you want to carry her?" Mirajane intended to shift the baby from her arms to his but he tried to push away the idea of carrying his child. Don't get him wrong. He wants to carry his baby girl but at the same time, afraid of hurting her. After all, he harmed his guild mates and the citizens of Magnolia few years back._

_"Place your arm above each other and support her head. She's asleep now so she won't know what is going on. I think." Mirajane taught Laxus and he sweat dropped._

_"You said 'I think'!" Laxus argued back and Mirajane chuckled. Nonetheless, Laxus did what she had instructed. "Li-Like that?" Laxus sweat dropped nervously and Mirajane nod with a smile. She shift the baby from her arms to his and once she was on his arm, a baby giggling sound was heard._

_"Mira! She's making a sound! She's hating me!" Laxus panic and look back to Mirajane for helped but she can't stop giggling at him. So does Makarov._

_"Don't be silly, Laxus. Mirai doesn't hate you. In fact, I believed she is liking you."_

_"Mirai?" Laxus crooked his head and turned back to his daughter._

_"Yes, I want to name her as Mirai. Mirai Dreyar. The miracle child of surviving a demon invasion. Laxus wasn't there when it happen but Wendy told me that Mirai didn't respond to the smacking sound when they first took her out. Only after a few minutes, she cried out and showed response."_

_"I… won't really call it a demon invasion but I get what you mean." Laxus then took another look at his daughter before wiggling his index finger around her chin. "Mirai, huh? Welcome to 'our endless chaotic but fun' world. We hope that you would grow up strong and beautiful." Soft baby giggles could be heard once more as if Mirai was understanding every word he just said. Her tiny fingers wrapped around his index fingers and Laxus had tears forming in his eyes._

_"Thank you Mira, for giving me such a wonderful daughter" Laxus stood up and this time sat on the free space beside Mirajane. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder and pulled her to a kissed on the forehead. Baby Mirai was still secured by Laxus._

_"You're welcome, Laxus." Mirajane replied with a smile and both the couple leaned back on the bed frame as they watched over their baby girl._

_On the other hand, Makarov treasure this scene in front of him. He never would have imagine himself to have another Dreyar member._

**_~Flashback ends~_ **

* * *

"And that's the story of how your name came about. Mirai Dreyar, the miracle child who survived the demons invasion." Mirajane finished off and Mirai eyes sparkled with a sense of gleefulness at her birth story. She didn't know something like that happen in the past but that doesn't mean that it would affect her future.

"Mum, you forgot something though." Mirai chuckled and Mirajane raised an eyebrow at her.

"My name may have been related to the 'light' side but… I'm a demon take over mage as well. Not like Satan soul thought. Demon Beast, Cerberus form!" Mirai laughed as she uses her magic to transform her attire. She now wore a black dress with a fur-like hoodie and the length of her dress reaches her knee. The dress had a 3-headed Cerberus designed which was embroidered by different coloured sequins. Her ears turned into a sharp pointy dog ears and her hands and feet turned into paw-like. In this form, her five senses are sharpen.

Suddenly, they heard the guild doors flank open and Mirai heard a loud female voice.

"ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY WAKE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING! BUT I'M A WO!" Her younger cousin by a year, Eev, yelled out early in the morning and just like her father, she's addicted to a word. Eev had light brown hair and kept her hair at shoulder length. Any longer and she would cut it. She too had large blue eyes.

Eev wore boyish style clothing and currently, she wore a white loose T-shirt and denim jeans and she also wear a black-red cap for accessory. Her magic was beast transformation like her father but uses different kind of beast as she had to find hers. Transformation magic is not an inheritance magic thus they had to find their own target.

"MAN!" The short white haired beast transformation, Elfman, ended her sentence for her and both of them fist bumped each other for the job well done.

"Can you two quit it?! I'm going to go deaf sooner or later because of your constant screaming!" Evergreen smacked the two of them using her fan and both of them groan at the pained.

"BUT! NO PAIN MEAN NO GAIN! WO!"

"MAN!"

"Don't get me started, you two!" Evergreen twitched her glasses and that would means one thing. One of them would turned into a statue for awhile. It's definitely not Eev so it's a hundred percent Elfman.

"Elf-nii, if you keep on getting turned to stone, your health might get affected." The 3rd white haired member of the Strauss siblings, Lisanna walked up to her older brother whom was now being kicked in the gut by Evergreen. Bickslowand his 5 floating tribal 'babies' were not far from them, laughed at the scene in front of him.

Holding onto Lisanna's right hand, was an 11 years old girl, Rin Strauss. **(A/N: I didn't know Bickslow last name so for now, their offspring would be based on Lisanna's one.)**

"Renga and I agree that the soul of uncle Elf-nii is still burning strong so he won't die anytime soon." Rin spoke up softly and as her left hand was holding onto her mother's one, her right hand was holding onto a tiger soft toy. However, the soft toy isn't just a toy. It has a soul implanted inside of it and the soft toy acts as a real life animal.

Hovering around Rin was 5 other soft toys. A wolf, dog, bear, bird and hamster. Their names are Riega,Shinga, Urga, Yuga and Zaiga as respectively on which animal souls they are in.

Rin had navy blue chest length haired and her eyes were large blue eyes. She wore a simple black plain shirt and blue shorts. She has a soft spoken attitude thus she rarely speaks until she feels like speaking. Her magic does not involve transformation magic but her father's one.

First is Seith Magic, Human Procession, which is Renga, Riega, Shinga, Urga, Yuga and Zaiga. They used to live in a nearby forest of Magnolia but due to forest fire, they died. Their soul were left wandering town to find a way back home but due to their memories being wiped out, they couldn't. Even if they were animals, they still has a soul of a human.

That was when Rin found them. She found Renga first and he eventually became Rin's leader in command. All her spirits could only communicate through a Medium and it requires a magic similar to hers. If not, ordinary people could not hear them speak.

The possess souls would then take the trait of the animals as if it was a living animal. The body of the soft toy in combat would transformed into the real life animal. Thus, their attack would be based on the animal.

For example, an wolf soft toy would represent speed, an dog soft toy would have enhanced smell, an tiger and bear soft toy would represent strength, an bird soft toy would represent far distance target and an hamster soft toy would represent squeezing into tiny gaps or digging underground.

Her second magic, Figure Eyes, could see the souls of living things. However, her magic allows her to see the 'purity' of a soul. Every living souls according to Rin is burning blue flame in colour but once it turn to black, it means that the individual is possess by darkness **(A/N: Not magic)** and is consider dangerous. She had seen many different colours ranging from green meaning jealous, yellow meaning confidence, red meaning passion and etc but had never seen a black soul before.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING ANYWAY?!" Eev question loudly which sounded like a shout to everyone as she approached Mirai whom had transformed back to her original form.

"Just a little story to know the meaning of how I got my name."

"A STORY?! All STORIES ARE GOOD TO BE TOLD ME A WOMAN!" Eev exclaimed and she saw a flash of yellow energy been given off at the side-line. Most likely is her dad being turned to stone.

"Mira-san, could you tell us the story too?" Rin let go of her mother's hand and approached her cousins. After finding out that they were talking about stories, Rin was interested.

"Well, I guess it doesn't help relieving the story again." Mirajane laughed and this time, the cousins sat beside each other at the counter and listened attentively to the up-coming story.


	6. Duo Family

"Apparently Pop, you would be having issues with Jii-chan and mum today." The daughter of the card magic and martial artist mage explained as she look at her father's fortune for today. She lived with her father, mother and occasionally, her grandfather in a 2 storey high house, located near the train station of Magnolia. She had darkish brown hair which passed her shoulder by 1 inch and had large violet color eyes. Her age is 10 and she specialized in card magic just like her mother but she learned martial arts for close combat purposes. She wore a blue spaghetti strap and black pants. For her shoes, she wore a brown stripe loose slipper.

Bacchus stared at his daughter in disbelief as he lowered his alcoholic drink. He watched her swinging her legs while humming a soft melody and rearranging her fortune cards. "Woa, hold on there, Reina. What do you mean by that?!" Bacchus stood up from his seat and immediately tried to get an explanation on what is going to happen.

The girl called Reina, to be precise, Reina Groh, shrugged her shoulders and ignores her father's cry of fear. A smirked appearing on her face.

"Did your mother found out that I went drinking with the boys at a love-hotel bar as they wanted to be hooked up?! I did took you as evidence that I was married with a kid and spend the night there with NOTHING even happening ?! Or is it because I'm not home due to the missions the guild has?! " Bacchus tried to find a logical answer as he panicked but he had none.

He then heard another cheeky hummed coming from his little girl and he found out the main reason for his agony.

"Did…?" Bacchus nervously asked. How did he even fall into the trap of a woman?

"What are you talking about, pops? I did nothing but read your fortune." She smiled sweetly at him and just by looking at her, gives him goose bumps.

"What do you want for an exchange?"

Reina looked up from her cards and grinned. "Quatro Cerberus!" she chimed.

Bacchus knew that was her response and he rubbed his temple on the incoming terror. Terror due to her destroying stuff in Quatro Cerberus out of the natural habit she had in Fairy Tail which Goldmine had to bill the family for it.

As much as he can remember, his little girl is feared by the next generation of Quatro Cerberus due to her inheritance magic power. The next generation of Quatro Cerberus consist of 4 orphan children who seek the older members as teachers to teach them magic. Surprisingly, the children are males, leaving Reina the only female. Furthermore, they are all good friends.

Reina is a Fairy Tail wizard but occasionally, went over to Quatro Cerberus due to her father being a wizard there. Over the years, she had made a surprise visit to Quatro Cerberus just to mess with the boys 3 years older than her. They are 13 years old.

One reason is because her boy friends form a rock band and occasionally, gets hired to do performances despite their young age. They are all orphan children whom stayed at the same orphanage. So in order to keep them in track of their magic, which they told her to, she does surprise visit.

Another reason is because Quatro Cerberus is her other family. She wants to spend time with her friends and also the adults since they did not think about their guild having females. They lack in the female gender ratio so having both Cana and Reina there was encouraging for them.

He then felt an arm wrapped around his neck and in the hands was a half empty booze bottle.

"Wha- ***hic*** are you ***hic*** talking about?" The brunette woman of Fairy Tail wizard slurred at her husband as she leans closer to him. She had a slight pinkish color along her nose bridge but other than that, she was still sober.

"Mum, it's 9 in the morning. It's too early to drink." Reina spoke up and Cana glance to her girl.

"Shhhhhh, it's not early to drink alcohol~ You have to find the right time and right place to drink and in this household, the right time and right place is… anywhere~ Beside, when I was pregnant with you, I had to drink this liquid called 'Water'. Do you have any idea how tortures that was?" Cana hic and glanced down to Bacchus.

"Want to have a drink?" Cana asked her husband as she pulled him closer to her. Bacchus didn't know what to do. He saw that his daughter at the background had a grinned while twirling a communication card and it has a Gildarts picture on it.

' _That sneaky daughter of mine sure knows how to play this game.'_ Bacchus wonder where she learned this from but right now, his life is at stake. He remembers that Gildart would crashed him to a wall whenever he learned that his daughter or granddaughter called him. Even if a simple 'there's a flying cockroach!' or accidentally pressing the communication card, Gildarts would also send him crashing to the wall once he return.

It was just on impulse.

"Why don't we drink at Quatro Cerberus instead? I heard that there is a new batch of delicious booze." Bacchus asked, hopefully Cana would agree to it.

"Hmm? Oh right, it's about time that she went over. However, the old man would be coming home soon. So…" Cana trailed her words but Reina came in-between her.

"I can call Jii-chan that we would head over to the guild instead of returning back here!" Her eyes were pleading and Cana was having a hard time to say no. Finally, she let out a sighed and nod.

"Yay! Let's go now!" Reina jumped up and down and dragged her parents out of the house. They were already dressed ready for the day so it was a matter of time to leave the house or figuring out what to do.

They went to Magnolia train station to catch an hour train ride to the town hosting Quatro Cerberus. On the way, Reina rang up her grandfather and told him that they would return back to the guild mid-afternoon. After she hang up and having Cana to visit the restroom, Bacchus leaned over to his daughter and sling an arm around her neck.

"So, Rei" He started and his daughter looked towards him with an innocent look. "Would Gildart crash me?"

Reina shrugged and stuck out her tongue. "Who knows~ But I am certain that I did not leak any information out."

"How did you even know that I went drinking with them?" Reina make a face at him.

"Pop brought me along to a mission because mum was hungover by the drinking competition you two had! I could have stayed at home and took care of mum but noooooooo. Pop decided to bring me along on a mission because it was 'Bring your child to mission' day! We left a note to mum as well to inform her that I went with you. " Reina explained and Bacchus was trying to remember when that happened. She was oblivious on the fact that Bacchus brought her to the bar as evidence that she is his daughter.

"I remembered I ordered apple juice for you at the bar. That's all."

"Uh-huh." Reina nod.

"So… was Gildart happen to be there?" Bacchus asked and Reina thought for awhile. She suddenly remember that her Gildart card was blinking green rapidly and that indicated that he was nearby.

"Oh." She sweatdropped nervously and Bacchus look at her bewildered. She then continued. "I remembered pop had to negotiate to the muscular man wearing black suit and pants to allow me in. Why? Is it because of the ladies in their bras and panties serving drinks? And I did not like the dim light as well.

Bacchus nod at her question and answer but she asked again. "If I wasn't guaranteed access, would pop left me out in the open night sky?"

Bacchus shivered as he knows that if he loses her, he would die a painful death. Both from his wife and father in law. A slow and painful death if he was to described it.

Before the two of them could continue, Cana came back to her seat. She seems to have regained her color complexion after visiting the restroom.

"Looks like we have about 10 minutes before we reach the town. So shall we get ready?" Cana asked her family and they nod. Looks like the conversation had to be on the hold.

**~10 Minutes Later~**

The train came to a stopped and the family of 3 exited the train. They walked into the direction of the guild which would normally take about 10-15 minutes. However, when they were about 200 meters away from the guild, they could hear running and voices such as 'Reina's here!' or 'Terror's back!'

"I'm aware that Reina's a little terror in Quatro Cerberus but… isn't that going a little too far?" Cana asked worriedly as she thought that her daughter was left out due to her being born into two different guilds. Her feelings was however replaced when she saw that her daughter shook her head followed by a smile.

"That's the fun part. It means that boys should not underestimate girls as well. Though I would call this 'Special training' since I want to compete against Quatro Cerberus in the Grand Magic Games when we are at an eligible age. Like how Reiku and Mirai host special training camp for all of us."

"Wow, Rei is already thinking of the Grand Magic Games?" Cana asked as they walked.

"Uh-huh! It seems fun to be able to compete with other guilds for the number one spot." Before long, they reached to the entrance of Quatro Cerberus.

Reina pushed open the large door frame and she meet face to face with her other family. The adults who knew her, welcome her back with a smile on their face and she returned the greeting as well. Her parents went to the bar counter to mingle themselves within the guild and at the same time, had their drinking competition on who could hold their liquor. However, since they had to return back to the guild mid afternoon, they decided to go with a 4 shot drink which is also called Four Horsemen. Reina then searched the guild's hall to locate her 4 boy friends but found nothing.

"Reina, they are at the dojo." The master of Quatro Cerberus, Goldmine, told the girl and she nod to appreciate the help. She then made her way to the dojo which was linked by a wooden bridge on the right side of Quatro Cerberus guild.

The dojo was used to train for their magic and the roof was retractable. This would allow them to be able to train under any weather condition. This also prevent any unwanted fights to happen within the guild.

Once she reached the dojo, she saw it was empty and the roof was opened. She couldn't find either one of her 4 boy friends so she assumed they were ready to assault her.

True enough, she found herself trapped in a light blue magic circle which produces wind magic and cutting off oxygen supply. It was risky but they had to do it to win against her. However, she chuckled.

"You can hide but you can't run, Kaze! Magic card element, Thunder! " She breaks the wind magic by utilizing her lightning element card and the lightning impact was able to hit onto someone despite hitting air. A body fell out of the wind, hit the dojo ground with a 'thump' and the magic circle disappear.

"R-Reina…Gl-glad to se-see you..." The boy, Kaze looked up weakly at her as a paralyze effect follow through. Kaze had spiky white hair and light brown eyes. He wore a white skull shirt over a black jacket. He had another brown woolly stripe jacket over his waist. For pants, he wore a denim jeans and for footing, high cut black sneakers.

"Yo! Where's the others?" Reina grinned and before she knew it, the dojo was covered by a black void box; plunging them into darkness. She felt blast of orbs hitting violently onto her body but she can't deter where it's coming from nor can she avoid it.

"I like how you're using the darkness to power up your own magic but darkness has one weakness and that's light, Yami! Magic card element, Morning Sun!" She threw her card onto the floor and a glow emerges from it. She shield her eyes from the glow as it gets bigger and brighter and eventually, nullified the black void. Another body fell onto the floor and he wore an identical clothing to Kaze. His hairstyle as well but his eyes were dark blue. Instead of white, it was black in color and the jacket over his waist was blue. The shoe had the same color, black.

Before she could even catch a breather, she jumped away from an incoming fireball. She came face to face with another friend who specialized in fire. This time, the boy in front of her had spiky red hair with orange eyes and wore similar clothing syle to Kaze and Yami but instead, red in color. The jacket around his waist was white in color while the jacket he was wearing remains black.

He started to juggle his fireballs and after a few seconds of juggling, he threw them into Reina's direction and predict where she would go. She dodged all of his incoming fireball and at the last fireball, it went into her direction. However, she smirked.

"Not working, Hotaru! Magic card element, Water Fountain!" She threw her card onto the ground and a fountain with an urn materialized from it. The urn had it's lit been taken off and blasts of water was shoot out of it that strike in all direction. Hence, it created a raining effect which evaporated the fireball. The blasts of water as well hit Hotaru and he was KO at the side. Her magic card stopped and returned to her hand.

"Last?" She asked and the ground started to shake violently. Large flytrap plants started to appear around the dojo area and as it open up, vines were shoot up and started to narrow down to chased the girl. One managed to caught hold onto her and it threw her into one of the flytrap where it closed up onto her.

"Did we get her, Mori?" Kaze asked as the paralyzed soon wore off. He and those who were knocked out were moved by the vines to prevent any team attacks by accident. Just like the others, Mori wore everything similar to his previous friends but green in color. His eyes were turquoise in color and the jacket around his waist was black. Mori shrugged and sense that her magic was depleting. A smile gracing his face.

"Looks like we got her. Team Element done it." He answered to them and they had an enlightened look on their face. However, the ground started to shook and the flytrap bulb started to loss its roundness.

"Not today! Magic Card Element, Fire Mirror! Magic Card Protection, Water sphere!" Reina voiced echoed from the confined space she was in and the plant she was held captive started to burn by the fireballs Hotaru previously used. The burn eventually burned the flytrap and it opened up to let Reina escape. She wasn't harmed by the fire due to the water sphere she was in which evaporated the fire upon touch.

She landed in front of her friends as the water sphere disappear and returned back into the hands of Reina. "That was great. Looks like I do not have to return back for any spot check anymore." Reina praise them and open up her arms to indicate them to come for a group hug. The 4 boys beamed at each other before running to her to get a group hug. They always does this after every training session.

Despite the boys being older than Reina, she was more powerful than them since the boys had to work on their music career while learning elemental magic for performance use.

"Welcome home, Reina." The boys said in unison and caresses her hair; messing it up. The boys then started to tickle her and she fell over while laughing.

"We won!" Kaze cheered and the boys high five each other while Reina recollect herself. Tears were visible but it was due to her laugh.

"Whatever you guys said!" Reina let it slide this time and Hotaru stretched out his hand to help her up in which, she accepted the offer.

After that, they make their way back to the main guild hall with laughers and giggles. Goldmine saw them appearing from the linked bridge and signal them to come closer to the center of the guild as he had an announcement to make.

He then cleared his throat. "I am aware that Reina Groh is a Fairy Tail member but at the same time, she had the wild soul of Quatro Cerberus. This guild may have been an 'all-male' guild as you can say we are a counterpart of Mermaid Heels but gender doesn't mean how strong you are. Take a look at Kagura Mikazuchi from Mermaid Heel or Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail. They are woman and yet, they are strong and powerful. So I would address that woman isn't weak. We have to change our perspective of them. So Reina." He paused and glanced towards her before he speaks again. "Fairy Tail or Quatro Cerberus. You have two families to rely on. You may not be around here as often as the others but I'm proud to call you a member of Quatro Cerberus. After all, we are an alliance of Fairy Tail as well." Chorus of cheers could be heard and some even lift and throw her high up to celebrate the 'barrier breaking'.

They partied for a little while with minimum alcohol as they know that Bacchus and Cana had to return back to Fairy Tail in a sober state to meet up with Gildarts. By afternoon, they had left the guild and before they head over to the train station, they had their lunch at a nearby open-concept cafe.

Halfway through their meal, Cana's and Reina's 'Gildart card' started to blink rapidly with a green signal. They were puzzled at first since they knew that Gildart would not be around town due to him subconsciously destroying buildings. Bacchus chock onto his food since he wasn't prepared to meet Gildarts.

"That's weird. The old man seems to be around here." Cana turned right and left to find the source but she just couldn't find her father. The card started to blink even faster right now and Bacchus felt his stomach turning over as sheer magic force was concentrated at one particular area and that is the cafe.

"Jii-chan!" Reina ecstatically call out to Gildart whom was standing behind the railing and also beside their table. He had a wide smile to see them but to Bacchus, a hidden sinister smile. Reina jumped out of her seat and out of the cafe so that Gildart could carry her.

"My little princess! How are you?!" Gildart carried the girl up and placed her onto his shoulder as giggles could be hear from her. She had always love being up onto his shoulder and nothing could stop her for getting what she wants.

"I've been great! I managed to kick a few guys ass earlier!" Reina cheered and Gildart laughed at her response.

"I thought we were supposed to meet at the guild?" Cana asked propping her elbows on the table as her palm open up for her chin to rest on.

"I was nearby, so I decided to drop by. And Beside…." He glares to Bacchus whom was now shivering. "A little card signal that princess had done alert me that someone had brought princess to a love-hotel bar. With a barmaid with excellent curves and is able to pole dance as well."

Bacchus wanted to run away right now as Cana glares at him. A evil dark aura emitting from her and her eyes turn sharp red. "You… took Reina to where?!" Cana shouted to her husband as he cowered further into the chair. Eyes were looking at their family but they did not bother with the minor problem.

"I-it's was a drink with the boys! They wanted to get hooked up! And the bar allows kids and Reina had apple juice! There were no pole dancing despite the curvy barmaid!" Bacchus quickly defend himself but those last few words slipped out of his mouth.

Gildart crashed him to a nearby wall for endangering and exposing his granddaughter to all the things she had seen at the bar. Cana thanked him for that. The wall cracked with Bacchus figure and he fell unconscious onto the ground.

Reina felt guilty for not helping her father out but it was inevitable that Gildart would eventually know about. She then spoke up. "I… don't remember any pole dancing too." She tap her chin to remember the day and confirmed it with another nod. So that means…

"Old man, how did you know that the barmaid was excellent in pole dancing when neither one of them saw it?" Cana turned her gazed to her father and he whistled a tune to evade eye contact with her. She could see the nervous sweat dropped appearing on his forehead as if she had stumbled onto another secret.

A red tick mark was then visible on Cana's forehead and she took out her Card Magic. "Card Dimension!" Cana called out and quickly, Reina jumped off from his shoulder to prevent herself from being caught in the crossfire as Gildart was engulfed in a while bright light.

Once the light died down, Gildart was trapped in one of her magic cards. How did Cana even gets the magic to trapped Gildart? She tapped into the Fairy Glitter that Mavis lend it to her to fend off perverts.

"Cana, sweetie!" Gildart called out with an apologetic tone as he banged the walls of the card but it did not budge. Cana then threw the card to the wall where Bacchus hit earlier and Gildart was forcefully pulled out of the card.

He smacked face first into the wall and slide down the wall where he lands on top of a half conscious Bacchus. However, due to the impact of Gildart, Bacchus was once again unconscious.

"I'm bringing Reina to the guild first! She should not be around perverts like you two!" She was about to stormed out of the cafe but she turns around once more to face them.

"And settle the bill!" She called out to Bacchus and left the cafe with Reina in hand. Reina said nothing but followed her mother.

Reina wasn't expecting this drama to roll but one thing she know is that she had two family with two different background. A hound dog or a fairy? Either one is able to provide her love and trust so she does not want to question her belonging. She love her two families no matter what and that's all it matters.


	7. Return of the Runaway boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm sorry that this chapter took a long time to be updated. I was busy with my major project stuffs so I could not write during the weekdays D: As usual, do forgive me for the grammars and tense error.  
> Without further ado, let's hop into the story! This chapter would be on Kinabra pairing.

* * *

 "Listen here, Kido. I am not responsible for your shitty run away and you're facing your mother alone. I would just shut my mouth on this." The poison dragon slayer, ex Oracion Seis, now Crime Sorciere member glanced down to his 11 years old son, Tatsuya, while walking back home.

Their home is located at Northern forest of Magnolia town, 2 miles radius away from the Redfoxes's home. This in turn causes Tatsuya and Yumi to be training buddies once in awhile.

Tatsuya scowled at him but after that kept his eyes fixated to the ground. It was his own fault that he sneaked on-board the airship of the Crime Sorciere after all.

Tatsuya had upward styled purple spiky hair with dark green slit-pupil eye. He was tan like his father but was a shade lighter than him. Most likely due to his mother fair skin.

He wore a 3/4 navy blue coat over his maroon cotton shirt and denim skinny jeans and dark red ankle length shoe. He pocketed his hands while he walked.

"But old man, if it wasn't for our double sound tracking magic, we won't have shut down Dark Score and its alliances." Tatsuya tried to prove his point and Erik rolled his eyes at that.

Dark Score was a dark guild which hacks into the communication lacrima of hidden villages in Ishgar. All of these villages are tasked to protect magic items or magic weapons made from the Councillors. If the magic items or magic weapons were to land in the hands of the enemy, the results would be devastating as it could change people's life.

By hacking the communication lacrima, the Councillors from Era would not know what is happening and they could not send reinforcement quickly.

"Kido literally slowed us down. Do I really have to point out your flaws? Your magic may have been helpful but I don't see the point of Jellal even allowing you to stay with us. What does he even mean by 'show your skills to my kid' crap. My kid is literally a weak idiot who had no idea when to stop. Look at his own son. Obedient when told. " Erik countered back and smack his son's head till a bump was seen. Tatsuya yelped in surprise while holding onto his bumped bruise. That was one move that he could not listen on.

"Oh come on, old man." Tatsuya glanced to him with a smirk. "I know you're proud of me."

Erik stopped walking and frowned at him. "Does putting your life in danger while running ahead of a nullifier user to stop a lacrima bomb something to be proud of? Though you did stop the lacrima, it means nothing when I had to bring your dead body back to your mother." Tatsuya realized what he was going on and thought of the incident where he almost died if he had not managed to locate an escaped route.

He then adverted his eyes back down onto the dirt as he felt that his father was right. If putting his life in danger means getting himself killed, it's not worth it.

"However," Tatsuya once again looked up to see his father's face. This time, a genuine smile. "This is between the 2 of us but yes, I'm proud of you for protecting your family." Erik then ruffles his spiky hair; messing it up in the process. Tatsuya then grinned back at his father for the praised and the two of them continue their walked home.

How did all this happen? It was 2 months ago when Tatsuya took matters on his own.

**_~Flashback, 2 months ago~_ **

_The next generation of Fairy Tail were all sitting around their bench talking and laughing as they enjoyed each other's company. Their parents were at another bench talking about random stuffs as well._

_There was the usual bickering of Nashi and Silver whom was warned constantly to keep it down, Yumi reading to Mitsu about the history of magic, Reiku and Mirai discussing about the future training regimen, Eev went on a beast hunt with her parents, Rin went with Bickslow to find lost souls to guide them back home and last but not least, Reina was reading the fortune of Tatsuya._

" _Tatsu, you would be experiencing a change of pace in the coming future. What it means, I don't know." Reina concluded his fortune and started to re-arrange the cards so that the next person could use it._

" _What?" Tatsuya exclaimed with wide eyes as he does not know what is going on so he needed more explanation._

" _I'm guessing, something would change drastically. I can't predict the future but I guess knowing what is going to happen seems to be pretty close too." Reina answered and saw a fireball coming her way. She then uses her Water Card Element, Water ball, to nullify it._

" _Watch the fireball, Nashi" Reina sternly said to the fire head as Nashi did a backflipped to prevent herself from getting caught in Silver's icicle._

" _Sorry about that, It's jus-" Before Nashi could complete her sentence, she was grabbed by the collar and headbutted Silver. The two kids groaned at the pained and held their injured head as they fell onto their knees._

" _Quiet down, Nashi and Silver! We are thinking of a training regime!" Reiku hissed and swipe his hand together as if clearing the dusts from his hand. He made his way back to Mirai whom was writing the details on a piece of paper._

_Suddenly, a familiar silhouette figure entered the guild and Mitsu turned to it with enthusiasm while Reiku's eyes widen at the sudden appearance. A bright smile was on Mitsu's face._

" _Papa, papa!" The little scarlet head run from her seat to across the guild while her hands were stretched high up. The figure caught her and placed her secured on his arm. Giggles could be heard and she gives a quick peek on his cheek to show how much love she meant to him._

" _Hey, Mitsu." Jellal smiled to his daughter and wiggled his nose on hers in which, laughters were returned._

" _Hey dad." Reiku called as he approached his father. Jellal ruffled his hair with affection as his response._

" _I didn't expect to see you that soon. Was it about a few days ago?" Erza walked up to him and sneaked her arms around Jellal's waist to pull him close to her._

_She then stole a kiss on his lips and snickered to her daughter while Jellal blushed slightly from the sudden sweetness Erza display._

" _That's how you kiss, sweetheart." Erza saw how Mitsu eyes sparkled from knowing a thing or two._

" _I would kiss Nii-chama that way!" She called out and at the background, many people were facepalming at that._

" _Mitsu, a kiss on the lips means showing love to the recipient." Jellal tried to correct Mitsu's mindset._

" _But I love Nii-chama!" She whined out and at the back of the guild, Tatsuya snickered. The person who managed to hear him was Mirai._

_Mirai then elbowed Tatsuya to demand him to spill what he just heard from Mitsu's thought. He doesn't want to risked his arm being broken by her._

" _Technically, she mixed up 'admiration' and 'love'." Tatsuya honestly said and she slowly nod at that._

" _Figures."_

_Tatsuya then looked further to the guild's entranced as if he was waiting for someone to walked in as well but that didn't happen. Jellal sense that someone was looking into their direction and remembers what he had to do. He placed Mitsu down onto the ground much to her displeased but he had to rely the message._

" _Sorry, Erza, Reiku and Mitsu, there was an urgent mission that we had to attend too. A dark guild is targeting the Communication Lacrima from different parts of Ishgar to prevent the revamped magic councilors from knowing what is going on that particular location. So we had to track it down to maintain peace and security. Magnolia was one of our stop over for fuel so we decided to drop by Fairy Tail before heading out. And there's a letter to Kinana." Jellal eyed the violet haired barmaid as he went over to the bar counter and passed her a letter._

" _This is…?" Kinana asked after she received it._

" _Erik wrote it. He apologised that he could not make it back today as he is currently undercover at one of the Dark Guild which produces illegal magic pill._ _Those pills would boost the power of mages but it's side effect would cause death if consumed a large quantity._ _I did not think that he would be undercover for that long. My apology." Jellal informed her and she acknowledge his hard work._

" _I understand. Shutting down a black market is much more important as people's live are in danger." Kinana was disappointed that she could not spent time with her husband but knowing the fact that his protecting everyone's life made her feel blissful._

" _I did told him that we are coming to get him once he finished but he just refused to get onboard the airship. Said he would meet us at another location for this new mission." Jellal continued and thinking back, he should have disbanded Crime Sorciere as he was causing sorrow to them._

_However, in the shadow, no one saw Tatsuya slipping away from the guild._

" _Damn that old man of mine. You're the reason why mum is unhappy. You're not going to return are you? Tsk, I show you what I would do." Tatsuya thought to himself as he uses his sound magic to track down the airship. It wasn't far from where he was; just the outskirt of Magnolia._

_Sneaking his way there was easy as he was constantly using his sound magic for guidance and at the same time, hearing any familiar footsteps behind him. It was a risky plan but he wants to know what is keeping his father from returning back._

_Was it because of him or something else? That was what he was going to find out._

_Sneaking into the forest, he saw the docked airship and looked around his surrounding to find anyone close by. Lucky to him, no one other than the pilot, Erigor, were around. Erigor was asleep on one of the tree branch._

_The design of the airship was similar to Blue Pegasus Christina, leaving out the pegasus part. It has a pair of angel wings at it's side (mainly due to Sorano's love of angels) to maintain air pressure, the bridge was located at the at most front center of the airship for easier lookout and it could fit about 20 people in it. After the bridge, there are many other smaller cabin for the Crime Sorciere members to stay in. Each of them having their own room for privacy purposes. Each of their rooms and the bridge had a Talk Tub, also known as a calling system which are all linked together. Meaning, everyone could hear each other when they used the talk tub. There was also a dining hall along with a kitchen for them to cook and have their meals._

_With a flight of stairs leading to the open air, there was about a 5 meter tall pillar with a small cabin at the top to see whatever things that could not be deter by the radar example smokes signals._

' _This should be a piece of cake.' Tatsuya grinned while still activating his sound magic, he created a pathway and a place to hide within the airship. He hides in one of the empty cabin to prevent himself from being detected._

_Now all he had to do was wait and figure out why his father refused to use the airship. Simple right? Except, he forgot what he was riding on._

_He once rode the Blue Pegasus Christina due to Reiku and Mirai training to be up in the mountain for endurances purposes. Reiku and Mirai were good friends with the next generation of Blue Pegasus due to their mothers and since Christina was suitable for dragon slayers, Tatsuya thought all airships were like this. However, it was not what he thought it was._

_About 2 hours pass and just as he was about to be killed out of boredom, he heard noise from the outside and that means everyone was returning back. No one suspect him yet._

" _Geez! That 9 layer ice cream really hit the spot!" Tatsuya ears twitched as he heard a bubbly woman talking about the famous newly open ice cream store. He predicted it was Meredy._

" _You're a kid when it comes to ice cream, Meredy." Another middle aged woman spoke but even with her stern voice, she sound pretty caring to her._

" _Mou, Ultear! You were loving it at the same time!" Meredy puffed her cheeks and laughers could be heard. The reason why Ultear returned to her current age was due to Meredy's and Lyon's daughter, Yui Vastia magic, Time Arc._

_Since Ultear's elder form does not flow exactly in the current timeline, Yui pushed back that form where it exist in the future. Thus, Ultear middle aged form was reverted._ _**(A/N: I would further explained this at the end of the chapter)** _

" _You can't denies that. Though the white chocolate cake was delicious too" The third woman of Crime Sorciere joined in the conversation._

" _We aren't here for an eating trip. People's live are in danger and we have to stop the dark guild from destroying anymore of the Communication Lacrima." Jellal ordered harshly to get them back on track but that doesn't seems to work._

" _Sureeeeee. It's hard to say goodbye to little Mitsu after all." Meredy sang and Jellal was guilt stricken. He can't forget the crying face of his perfectly cute daughter whom told him to stay a little longer._

" _You just have to rubbed that in isn't, Meredy?" Jellal sighed and Meredy shook her head._

" _I won't forgive you for lying to Erza about your fiancee." A smug looked was on Meredy's face and Ultear joined in as well. The ex Oracion Seis looked at each other with confusion. None of them knows about it._

" _I'm not going to lived that down right?" Jellal was at his end. He knew that the two woman he would be working with always brings that up._

" _Nope." They said together with a mischievous grinned. With another sighed, he indicate to them that they 'won' this time. There wasn't even any bet going on at all._

_However, Tatsuya was entertained by them. He didn't know something like that happened in the past and he had to bite his own tongue to keep his giggles from being head._

_Suddenly, the airship started to jerk which indicate that it was ready for takeoff. Tatsuya was ready to hold onto whatever thing he could find but his stomach started to turned._

' _Sh-shit… Th-this can't be happening…' Tatsuya covered his mouth and held back the bile coming out from him._

_Now he knows the reason why his father refused to take the airship, there was no stabilizer. He had never regretted something so badly in his life before. He does not even regret pranking Reiku by swapping the whipped cream with toothpaste on his strawberry cake. Sure that came out nasty but he had never regret doing that._

' _Ma-Make… it st-stop…' Tatsuya doubled over and who knows how long they would fly for?_

_Suddenly, the door was ripped open which revealed Richard while the rest of the Crime Sorciere were behind him._

" _What are you doing here, Tatsuya?" Jellal spoked with a demanding tone but at the same time, he frowned. No one expected a visitor and since they had already left Magnolia airspace, they can't return._

_"He-help…" Tatsuya cried out with a desperate tone. Jellal sighed and telepathy to Meredy to give him a troia pill._

_She then nod and went into her room before returning back with a troia pill and a glass of water. She then squeeze her way in front and kneeled to him._

" _Take this. It's Wendy's troia magic which was made into a pill. It's a temporary cure for motion sickness." Handing him the glass of water and the translucent white pill, he took one and swallowed it. Within second, he felt the effect kicking in and finally, he sighed a relief and sat down in front of them._

" _Th-thanks." He nervously thank her but seeing their faces they are making was causing him to sweatdropped. He listened in to Jellal's thought and knew what he wanted to asked._

" _I… I wanted to know what is preventing my dad from returning home. I have not seen him for over 6 months so I'm curious. " Tatsuya admitted and tapped his fingers together like a little child whom was caught red handed._

" _I was expecting a larger crowd but seems like you have beaten them." Sawyer joked to try to at least ease the tension between Jellal and Tatsuya. Jellal glares at him but he wasn't wrong. 1 is better than handling 6 more._

" _The missions we go to are dangerous and I can't guarantee your safety, Tatsuya. Erik goes ahead of us so that he could detect incoming attacks before it reached to us since the radar could only scan 4-5 miles. Another reason is due to his motion sickness." Jellal started to explained to the younger poison dragon slayer and he nods with understanding. His sound magic was top notch but compared to his father, his weaker than him._

_As Jellal continued to explained, Tatsuya found out that this father has to be on high alert as anything happens, the airship could be destroyed easily. Sure that the airship could be protected by Macbeth reflector magic but sneak attack was bound to happen. He didn't know that his father has such importance in Crime Sorciere duty._

_After hearing the entire explanation, Tatsuya felt bad for accusing his father for not loving him or his mother. He thought that the reason why his father refused to return back home was because he was weaker than him. Tatsuya was on pared with Nashi and Yumi as a dragon slayers but they are girls. So he thought that he should be stronger than them as he was a boy._

_Unfortunately, gender wasn't a part of all this theory as he knew that girls could even make boys kneel down to them. The boys in their generation learned the hard way when Mirai gets angry._

" _Why don't we bring mini Erik along? We can't docked or anything as it would delayed our arrival to the other meeting point so the wise choice is to let him follow us. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from us." Meredy asked as there were no other ways out of this situation. Jellal thought for awhile using her theory and it seems that there was no other way out. He then concluded._

" _We would let you joined us but I would have to informed your mother and Erik about it. After this mission, you would be handed back to Fairy Tail. I won't know what punishment or consequences they would give but be prepare for it."_

_A smile was then shown on Tatsuya's face and he hugged Jellal for it._

" _Oh, before Tatsuya start, I would be in charge of here so be prepared to see another side of me. This is to keep all of you safe."_

" _Hai, Jelly-san~" Erik teased and finally, the tension was broken with laugher as the next generation loved to call him 'Jelly'._

**_Flashback ends_ **

* * *

As Tatsuya remembers the day he 'joined' Crime Sorciere for 2 months, he didn't realized that they were at the entrance of their home.

"Well, good luck, Kido." Erik mocked him while Tatsuya gulped down his saliva nervously.

"Let's get this over with…" Tatsuya prayed that he could see a new tomorrow on the incoming lectured.

* * *

"TATSUYA! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR FATHER TO CRIME SORCIERE?!" The violet-haired woman of Fairy Tail, Kinana, shout angrily towards Tatsuya. She had placed both of her clenched fist on her hips as she started lecturing him. Both him and Erik covered their ears quickly as they were sensitive in that area.

"We-Well, I can't helped it!" Tatsuya rebutted and before Kinana could come out with a respond, he continued. "Dad rarely returns home even though Jellal gives the signal to return. Reiku and Mitsu gets to see their father every 2 to 3 months but I only see my dad every 2 or 3 times per year. Even Mirai gets to see master every month or so! If following Crime Sorciere gives me the chance to see dad, I would do that. I want to know what is holding back dad from returning back to us!" He then point accusingly at the poison dragon slayer whom was leaning against the wall behind his mother. His eyes were closed and arms were wrapped in front of his chest.

Kinana was speechless at his sudden confession. She knew that his son was in the unofficial 'fatherless for a few weeks' club which consists of him, Reiku, Mitsu and Mirai since their father's are rarely home. They came up with it due to their similarities. However, that doesn't mean that the 'club' affect the relationship they had with their friends from the guild. In fact, the other kids were there for them when they needed reassurance.

"It's not-" Kinana paused when she saw her son soften expression on her husband.

"But…" Tatsuya lowered his arm. "Being 2 months with Crime Sorciere taught me something and that is they had been protecting us in the darkness all this time. Dad had a separate mission due to his sound magic and rarely on the airship because…" He suddenly shivered and had the urge to throw up his breakfast while Erik queasy from it. Kinana looked back from Tatsuya to Erik and frowned her eyebrows as if they are hiding something.

"Speak." She demanded to the two as curiosity was killing her.

"That Crime Sorciere airship has no stabilizer!" Tatsuya cried out and with the hint of said 'stabilizer', Kinana's light bulb clicked. She then started to laugh hardly at their queasy looked and she even had to place her arms over her stomach as it started to hurt from her laugher.

"Oh god, that's why the two of you are father and son!" She laughed out and the two slayers exchanged a look of 'This is not a laughing matter'.

"I don't see a point of having a stabilizer just for one dragon slayer." Erik pointed out and true enough, it doesn't make sense.

"Beside, the airship is used for areas which are difficult to access by ground." He continued.

"But… at least give a warning or something." Tatsuya countered.

"Do I look like I know that my kid is coming onto the airship?" Erik answered him with a sarcastic tone while Tatsuya clicked his tongue.

"I thought you would have expected that to happen."

"Someone with guts was what I did not expect."

"Now you know that your son has guts." Tatsuya smug at him, giving himself a pat.

"Guts to stay on that airship for 3 hours till I reached the next meeting point." Erik runs his fingers onto his spiky one's while he groaned. "Jellal called me without telling me the reason and I had to abandon my next mission just for you. Did you know that I was just about to find the dark guild's location? Thanks to you, it's gone."

Tatsuya was then guilt strike by his own action which causes his father's to lose his objective. He wasn't aware that event actually happened.

"But we did tracked down the major dark guild, Dark Score, location. That also causes us to return back home today. So if we had stayed and continue to hunt that dark guild that dad was tracking, Dark Score location would have shifted. This would means that we would take a longer time to return back home." What Tatsuya said was true.

"Yeah, sure." Erik continued his sarcasm and Kinana looked at the two of them, trying to figure out if she should stepped in to diffuse the situation.

"Sooooo," Kinana clapped as she stepped into the two of them. She saw sparks coming from each of their eyes so she decided to step in before things gets nasty. Both the slayers glanced to her to allow her to continue.

"Though I am still furious of Tatsuya running away and I do think that Yumi and the others are pissed at the same time, I would like to hear how you managed to do so."

"Oh right! So…" Tatsuya started to explain how he does the sneaking in to Crime Sorciere airship and both of his parents were making weird facial expression. Though Erik had already realized how his son had managed to do it, if Tatsuya were to lied about any details, Erik would point it out with no remorse. He just love seeing his son agony looked.

After the explanation, Kinana thought about his punishment. She was taking a long time so the two slayers decided to listen in. Kinana knew perfectly well that they are listening so she thought. _'1 month of attending the bar with me. No solo or group missions with the others and Tatsuya is only allowed the weekend off so training with the others are allowed. But only the weekend. Any breaching of these rules would result in an additional day.'_

"What?!" Tatsuya shrieked at that punishment as Erik tried to hide his laughter.

"Thought this is what I came up with, you still had to face the others. Like I said before, they doesn't seems pleased with your sudden disappearance. You guys are a team." Kinana informed him and he could feel the shiver down his spine. His friends are cruel when it comes to punishment. As they uses the 'Who's the guild master' game concept to cast humiliation.

Meaning, everyone would take turn as being a guild master and they had to do something humiliating to the one they are punishing. If they aren't punishing anyone, they would just play the standard rule of 'Who's the guild master'.

"Good Luck, Kido." Erik snickered as he listened in on what his son was thinking.

"Thanks, old man. I feel the luck here." Tatsuya replied him with a sarcasm tone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Details of Yui Vastia magic, Time Arc: Since Ultear uses 'Last Ages' which causes her to rapidly age in their current timeline, she would have look like an elderly woman in the future. Since everyone would eventually grow old in the future, Yui uses her magic to delay the time where Ultear would become an elderly woman. Hence, Ultear was about to regain back her youth and continue life as per normal. However, Ultear losses the ability to use Time Arc but since she had a successor, she thought Yui whatever things she needs to know and the risk of using Last Ages.


	8. Princess of the Alvarez Empire

"Princess Zera?! Where are you, Princess Zera?!" a youthful woman with a childlike figure came running down the hallway of the palace, calling out the princess name. She had orange hair that are tied in short pigtails which are held up by a brown bows. She too had straight-cut bangs hanging slightly over her face.

For attire, a white coat with golden border straps which runs from her sleeves to the cuff on the coat and waist area. Two golden lines streaking down her chest area which ends with a skirt with golden frills at the end.

For shoe, a pair of white fur-lined snow boots with golden straps to go along with matching white pants.

"Princess Zera?! Please answer!" The woman tried once more as she started to sweat nervously but no response was heard.

"If his majesty or her highness found out that I loss her, I'm doomed for life! Lady Irene would detest me as well!" The woman speak out loud and shrieked with horror if anyone found out she lost track of the princess.

"Juliet, what are you doing?" Another youthful woman with a slim figure and sharp eyes appear behind the first woman. She had black hair that hangs over her face and leans partially to the right side of her face while having two separate strands on both sides of her face. She had a navy blue bandanna with lined design and a golden crescent moon-shaped hair ornament on the back of her head. For attire, a black skin-tight full body suit.

"Heine! Save me!" The first woman, Juliet, run up to her partner and hugged her as she cries out. Heine was taken aback but showed no expression in wanting to return the hug.

"What is it?" Heine asked with a stern voice to get the attention of the crying woman.

"Princess Zera slipped away once more! She wasn't in her room after breakfast!" Juliet answered with a shaky voice. Her eyes were filled to the brimmed with tears.

Hearing her partner's agony cries, Heine sighed. This wasn't the first time the 3 years old princess slipped away from her room. "Juliet" Heine spoke calmly to gain her partner's attention. "Who is she the most closest to in the palace? Aside from his Majesty, her Highness, Lady Irene, August sama and Brandish sama?"

Juliet took a few seconds to process what she just said and a light bulb flashed in her mind. "Larcade Sama!" Juliet answered with excitement while Heine nod.

"Larcade sama is indirectly princess Zera older brother." Heine continued and now, Juliet had a clue on where she was supposed to go.

"Let's go, Heine!" Without thinking, she took Heine hands and run down the hallway to find Larcade's Dragneel room. Heine protest to let her go but Juliet ignores her and laugh for being too serious.

Never did Heien know that heading to Larcade's room was an adventure to the Princess of the Alvarez Empire.

**-Meanwhile, down the hallway of the Alvarez Palace -**

A young girl, age 3 years old, skipped along the hallway of the palace as she hum a lovely melody. A smile on her face as she does so. Every time she passed by soldiers, they would bow and greet her as 'Good morning, Princess Zera' before walking away.

The girl called Zera, had black wavy waist length hair with a single hair lock pointing upwards, large dark green eyes and her skin was peachy in colour.

For attire, a one piece 1/2 length sleeves sky blue dress where the 'skirt' part has polka dots pattern on it and wore a violet slipped on shoe.

" _What should I do today? Mama and Papa aren't back yet."_ Zera thought to herself as she saw someone approaching.

The man approaching her had dark skinned as his magic involved the manipulation of sand. He wore a thin cloth tied around his neck and upper torso, leaving his bare chest and abdomen exposed.

"Sandy!" Zera called out and run towards the man who was yawning constantly. Not a morning person it seem.

"...Hm, Princess?" Ajeel was rather surprised to see her alone but nonetheless, bend down to her eye level.

"Morning Sandy!" Zera said with enthusiasm and gives a warm smile to him.

"Yeah, Morning princess. Who's taking care of you today and why are you out here alone? Don't tell me… princess run away again?!" Ajeel sweat dropped nervously but Zera shook her head.

"Juliet is! And I didn't run away! I slipped away! There is a difference!"

"There is?" Ajeel carried her up as she nod. A brow arching at her statement.

"I didn't make a run for the exit! Nor did I run quickly out of my room. I smoothly left my room when Juliet isn't here ! That is the difference!" Zera explained as she waved her hands in front of him and all Ajeel did was nod slowly as he process what she just said.

Despite her young age, Zera was pretty knowledgeable. She was a fast learner due to her parents being an historical figure and was also analytical in the field of magic. Both of her parents thinks that her magic may have been closely related to Archive as she is able to locate all the hidden pathway throughout the castle that her father had set up for evacuation purposes. This is one way where she could easily slipped away without anyone noticing her leaving her room.

"So Princess, have you eaten?" Ajeel asked as he yawned again while carrying Zera. He felt a nodding motion from his arms.

"Uh-huh! How about you?" Zera replied and Ajeel nod tiredly.

"That's a good girl." Ajeel tapped her nose and she wiggled hers. "Having breakfast is the most essential meal of the day. I'm sure the others had taught you that as well."

"Zera's a good girl! So can we play Sandcastle?!" Zera quickly interject as she wants to play as soon as possible. That is the reason why she left her room earlier as she could not wait for Juliet to fetch her.

"Mm, just a little while. Don't forget that his majesty and her highness are returning back today." Ajeel reminded the girl and she stared with a blank space as if trying to remember about it.

"Did you forgot about it?" Ajeel snickered a laugh and Zera blushed in embarrassment.

"N-No! I didn't! It just slipped out of my mind!" Zera quickly answered but in fact, she did forgot about it.

"Did it smoothly left your brain?" Ajeel teased and uses Zera's theory between 'run' and 'slipped' on her.

Zera said nothing but puffed her cheeks. The embarrass blushed still visible. "A- As the princess of the Alvarez Empire… I order Sandy to stop…" Zera tried to give an order but her adorable voice was giving it away. Ajeel then place his hand over her head and caressed her hair.

"I'm just messing around with you. Don't take it too serious." Ajeel whispered and Zera puffed cheek turned into a pout.

"Sandy!" Zera exclaimed and Ajeel laughed even harder as he walked towards the sandbox which was located at the central of the palace ground. Having her 'playground' located in the central was due to security reason. It was designed in a way where anyone could see her if they were walking along the central perimeter regardless of level.

The central of the palace is a good 20 meters by 20 meters and it is also Zera's playground. The sandbox occupies half of the central which in turns means that the other halves are concrete flooring. However, the other half is filled with playground materials such as see-saw, castle like slides, tunnel tube slides, swings and etc.

During the walked, they encounter August and Brandish whom were talking about the current affair of the empire. They took noticed of the approaching presence and saw Zera waving to them.

"Auggy! Brandy!" She called out as soon as they were in conversation zone.

"Good morning, princess." August and Brandish both replied with a smile. Zera told Ajeel that she would want to be placed down and he did as soon as possible.

"Let's play sandcastle together!" Zera enthusiastically called out as she reached out for their hands before dragging them down a flight of stairs; leading them to the sandbox. They did not have the time to answer her question but Zera knew what their answer were as they had never rejected her invites before. Ajeel followed behind her closely.

Once Zera dragged them to the sandbox, she went to the center of it and closed her eyes. To the people who doesn't know her, it seems like she was calming down from all the running around but to the people who was always with her the second she was born into the empire, they knew what was going on.

In her mind, she was running data analysis simulation. She was creating her sandcastle image using mathematical equations. The sandbox was designed in a way where she could find the 0,0 of the x,y coordinate which was the center point she is currently standing on. After a few more minutes, she open her eyes.

"Sandy! Step 1, 4 pillars at least 1 meter high on the y-axis of 4 and -4, and x-axis of 2 and -2. Coordinate are -2,4. -2,-4 . 2,4 and 2,-4. " Zera called out and Ajeel nod before summoning out his sand magic and created 4 pillars on the location she had given.

As she was using Archive magic, she had given them the sandbox grid map and she mark an 'X' at the location she wants the pillar to be put. There was even a 'Step 1' wording at the top right corner of the map.

"Step 2, a cone shape on each of the four pillars" Ajeel followed as she instructed.

"Step 3, cover the perimeter by running a sand wall about 1 meter thick along the length! Leave a gap of 1 meter in the center!" Zera continued while Ajeel swirl his hand to the right and left to wall up the entire sand castle. Zera felt the breeze gets cut off suddenly due to the walling up.

However, at the location at where she is, a 1 meter gap is directly in front of her.

"Step 4 and last step, a sand door at the side of the sandcastle! Thickness is 1 meter thick as well!" Once again, Zera instructed and with mesmerizing eyes, she squealed at how amazingly huge it is. Well, to her that is. Since she is just young and she's pretty gullible in many occasion.

"Auggy! Brandy! Sandy! Come and helped to decorate the castle!" Zera enthusiastically waved her arms and jumped on the spot excitedly. With the 3 adults exchanging looks, they know that they had to comply with her wishes.

One is because she is the future queen of the Alvarez Empire and the other reason is due to her spreading her love and compassion to every member of the Spriggan 12. She gets spoiled a lot by almost everyone.

"Let's make animal sand sculpture along the walls and free spaces! Mama love animals!" Zera suggested and passed them tools to make the perfect animal sculpture. The reason for the 1 meter thickness is due to her caving animal shapes into the wall.

The 3 adults then took the tools especially the shovels and a pill of water before working with Zera to create her sand animal kingdom. It wasn't long till another member of the Spriggan 12 arrived.

"I figure I could find princess here." A female voice concluded from the entranced and the 3 adults along with Zera turned. Zera face lit up as if she had the perfect plan.

"Timey!" Zera backflipped from Ajeel's shoulder and run towards the woman whose attire only consist of a brown bandeau, stripe capri pants and a pair of sandal. A jacket was tied around her waist. Zera then stopped in front of the woman and grinned at her.

"Stop time for me! Maybe about an hour or so! I want to surprise Mama and Papa once they are back!" Zera beamed out while the woman looked quite unsure if she should use her magic.

"Well…" The woman hesitated but August cut in.

"Dimaria, do whatever necessary to pleased the princess. She wants to give a perfect surprise to her highness and his majesty and it is up to us, Spriggans, to help the princess." August walked behind Zera; backing her up.

"Tha-" As Zera turned to face August, she tried to hold in her laughter but failed. She burst out laughing and fell to the sand while clenching her stomach. Dimaria tried to hide her giggles and immediately looked away to prevent herself from laughing.

What is Zera's reason for laughing that hard? The answer lies with the sands.

"There are sands stuck onto your beard and hair, Auggy!" Zera finally caught her breathe and after she told him, she started rolling on the sand and laughed even harder than before.

August kept a straight face despite looking goofy and to the young girl rolling on the sand, he can't imagine Larcade doing it. As much as August can remember, he had always seen Larcade frowning and emotionless whenever his training, But to Zera, she was full of life.

August then shove off the sands in between his beard and with a little help from Ajeel, it took them less than 10 seconds to get the sand off him. However, it took Zera a good 1 minute to calm herself.

"S-So," Zera wiped the tears from her eyes and faced Dimaria again. "Can Timey help us?"

Dimaria looked at Brandish and with a reassuring nod yet emotionless, Dimaria agree to stop time for Zera. It was not an hour but an extra 2 hours. The crafting group made full use of the 2 hours and after that, the sandcastle decoration and wall crafting was completed. Zera was contented with the results and she just could not wait to see her parents again.

"It's done! Now all we had to do is wait for Papa and Mama to return!" Zera cheered out and jumped up high with excitement in her action.

"We are glad that Princess Zera had enjoy yourself. However, we have some work that we need to do so we would take our leave now." August said with a bow and he could see a frown forming at Zera's lip. However, the frown was replaced immediately with another cheeky grinned.

"I understand, but I need Brandy help this time!" Zera smiled and placed her hands behind her back while Brandish point to herself.

"Me?"

"I want to surprise Onii-tan!" Zera called out and Brandish knew exactly what she mean.

"Alright."

With that, the group split. Brandish followed Zera to Larcade's room while Ajeel, August and Dimaria went to do their own stuff.

**-Meanwhile in Larcade's room.-**

A young man was sitting in a meditating position in the middle of the room. His eyes were closed and his breathing was stable. The man had upward spiky hair that comes as far as his shoulder blades on his back, as well as a large cross symbol on his forehead.

For attire , a rectangular pattern kasaya that covers one-half of his body while the other half is exposed. On his exposed left arm, he has a complex tribal tattoo with a decorative armband wrapped around it. He wore a dark coloured capris to go with a simple set of open-toed footwear.

His unique feature was two large objects that appear as crosses that are diagonally placed on top of each other.

Everything was still and quiet but what broke the silence was little pitter patter across the room. The man's concentration was broken by the sound but choose to keep his eyes close. After all, he was expecting this to happen but pretend that he did not see her.

"Hiiiiiiyaaaaaaa!" A tiny voice emitted a fighting sound from his shoulder and before the voice could even hit any part of his body, he had already caught the culprit and placed her on his palm.

"Little Sister, I had told you that it is dangerous to asked Brandish to change your mass to the size of an ant. What if I hurt you?" Larcade tried his best to lecture Zera but she does not seems to be showing any remorsed.

Before Larcade could wait for an answer from Zera, she face her brother and jumped off from his palm. Larcade panicked as he does not have the time to catch Zera but her mass went back to normal. However, it was not the mass changing that surprise him. It was the hug that Zera give him. A hugged over the shoulder.

This warm hug felt familiar to him and he flashed back the time where he was a child. It was before the Alvarez Empire and Fairy Tail went into a full blown war.

Back then, Zeref created Larcade by using Mavis's DNA and his. Larcade was created by using the same concept as END but instead of creating a demon, he created the first human being. Zeref fear that Larcade would be affected by the cursed as he was still a human so Zeref tried his best to stay away from Larcade. Larcade knows about the cursed but all he want is just a little bit of his father's love.

Right now, the sister he never would have imagine is hugging him. A biological daughter of his mother and father. The same kind of blood flow he could find in her.

Zera stayed in the position for a while until she felt another pair of arms over hers. She hummed with a satisfying tone before they broke the hug and she took her seat on his lap **(Larcade was still crossed legged)**.

"Promise me one thing, little sister." Larcade pulled her to a waist hugged this time and placed his chin on her head.

"Eh?" Zera arched her eyebrow to indicate that she does not know what he means.

"Never, and I say never, be reckless ever again. I do not want someone precious to me to be hurt. Especially you, little sister." The siblings did not need to look at each other facial expression to see how sincere they are. Zera then let out a satisfying hummed and she sink into her brother's warmth.

However, their moments were quickly interrupted by loud and quick knocks on the door. A voice that the siblings is familiar with followed through.

"Larcade-sama! Larcade-sama!" Juliet frantically voice came from the other side and Larcade lift Zera up and secure her on his shoulder before opening the door.

"I'm sorry to disturb you bu-" Once Juliet laid eyes on the shoulder sitting girl, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank god you're here, princess!" Juliet wiped the sweats from her forehead and she bend forward to catch her breathe.

"There there, Juliet! I'm here with Onii-tan." Zera reassured her 'watcher' and Heine soon appear behind Juliet.

"At least princess is safe from harm." Heine rarely shows her emotions but to Zera, she smiled a little.

"Uh-huh! I'm in no danger!" Zera stretched out her hands up high quickly and bend back a little too much till the point she almost loses her footing. However, Larcade was quick and re-balanced her.

Just then, a servant came running to them and bowed to all 4 of them.

"His Majesty and Her highness had return."

* * *

**A/N: 'Cliff Hanger'~ The next chapter would be a better elaboration on how Zera came about. \**

**Question for this chapter:**

**1) What kind of 'punishment' should Mavis gives to Zeref for 'abandoning' his very own son?**

**Leave a review or PM me your suggestion XD**


	9. Return of the King and Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the extremely late update. I was busy with school once I return from my holiday and finally, I got back my results for my Diploma course and I'm graduating in May 2017! So yeah, from today till May 5th, I'm on break~ I really hope you would forgive me and hope you would like this chapter.
> 
> It focus on Zervis and how their curse were 'cured'. This chapter is about 6k words so I hope that you enjoy it. Do leave a kudos or comment if you like.
> 
> As always, I apologize for my grammar and tense.
> 
> Without further ado. let's hop into the chapter!

 

* * *

"Mavis, despite the cursed being lifted off, I'm still afraid of approaching either one of them. Especially Larcade." The famous black haired wizard of all times, Zeref Dragneel, was indecisive whether a not if he should stepped out of the Alvarez Empire ship that they had been sitting on for 6 hours.

They had finally reached the harbor of Vistarion, the captial of the Alvarez Empire.

"Do you think sitting there solve any problems? No doesn't? So get off the ship and find them. " The petite first master of Fairy Tail, stood in front of him with her hands clenched into a fist and placed it onto her hips. A fuming expression on her face.

The black wizard said nothing as he hang his head low while showing no interest of moving. Mavis sighed and sat beside him.

"Listen, Zeref. I had seen you trying your best to interact with Zera. You tried to love her and did anything happen to her? No. She's a 3 years old girl who knows all your hidden trap doors, the one who showered your Spriggan 12 with emotions and more importantly, she's there for her older brother." Mavis looked up into the blue sky and saw a pair of dove flying passed them. In the middle was a baby dove catching up with its parents.

Mavis waited for him to comment but sensing that he needs more explanation, she continued. "My point is, Zera is your biological daughter whom I carried for 9 months, labor for 8 hours, had her first bath done by her father and all these had proven that she is alive. If the curse had been active, Zera would have been stillborn or miscarriage." She paused before continuing.

"She's a human being born from human nature while my dearest son was born from experiment. If anything were to happen, Zera would have been the impacted one. Not Larcade. Also, I used to have the same curse as you and I showered them with love even more but nothing happen to either one of them."

Zeref listened closely to her and as she continue to explained, he started to understand where she is coming from.

"So Mr. 'I feel ashamed for leaving our son alone', let's go and see how they are doing." Mavis stood up this time and face him while stretching her hand out. A warm smile graced upon her face.

"Mavis really do know how to cheer one's person up, isn't?" Zeref sighed before smiling and reaching out for her hand.

Pulling him up from his seat, Mavis giggles from the comment. "Well, I'm not the First Master of Fairy Tail for nothing. It's my duty to guide the lost one's to a life changing path but it is up to you whether a not that you would want my helping hand."

The two of them walked to the plank but before Mavis stepped onto it, Zeref spun her and looked into her eyes. "Aren't you a wonderful wife?" He spoke softly and gently placed his forehead onto hers. A signature move by the Dragneel's brother to impressed their woman.

That forehead bump causes Mavis to blush madly and she couldn't form any coherent sentence after that. She started to panicked but with another swift move, Zeref kissed her on her lips when her guard was down. Mavis slowly calmed down and placed her arms over her lover's neck, pulling him closer to her as she indulged in the kiss.

The two of them had been missing so much in their love life due to the cursed. The Anksheram Black Magic which also refers to the Contradictory Curse. The more the user feels the importance of life, the greater the effect of killing.

Even though the two of them had the cursed, Zeref's curse was still able to kill Mavis as he was the one who received it directly from Anksheram God. Mavis on the other hand was due to her casting Law to choose who lives and who dies.

This was done to save her friend, Yuri Dreyar from fusing with the Tenrou Jade . **(A/N: From Fairy Tail Zero)**

The curse worked in a way where they treasure the well-being of others. They could neglect their own well-being if the other person is happy. Zeref received his cursed as he wanted to bring his dead brother back while neglecting 'life' aspect. Mavis received her cursed by sacrificing her life to save Yuri from being fused with the Tenrou Jade.

In both cases, there were both 'life' and 'death'.

But the nightmare was finally over. The only way for them to finally break off the cursed was by loving themselves and accepting who they are. They should not be using any methods or spells to interfere in the passage of time. Things happen for a reasons and that's what being alive means.

During the Alvarez War, both of them confronted each other and their team were already worn out from the constant battle. So to end it, Mavis did Fairy Law to create the blinding effect and the two escaped from the battlefield.

Losing both their leaders, the Alvarez Empire fall back and Fiore was able to gain back their independence.

Zeref wanted Fairy Heart to himself but in reality, he wanted to free Mavis from her Lacrima state. Only when he pursue her to defend her guild, she would be able to free her own body. But she still need Fairy Glitter to be able to destroy the Lacrima holding onto her.

He apologise for hurting her and Mavis heart whence the second she saw his apologetic look. He looks just about to break and Mavis does not want him to do that. True he may have done horrible things but all he did was to see his brother's smile and also, his woman once more.

With Zeref and Mavis 'controlling' their curse, they decided to travel with each other to find the cure to it, in which they ends up at Mildian.

Where the curse first activate.

All of these were discovered 7 years ago, before Zera was even born.

**-Flash back, 7 years prior to Zera's birth-**

In the early morning vast land of the abandoned ancient city, Mildian, Mavis and Zeref walked down the path of the supposing busy city with their black cloak over them. 400 plus years ago, it was filled with students running around and showing off their magic to their peers. However, at the current state they went, it ended up being a ghost town.

Even though the sunlight was shining down onto the city, it was being covered by clouds. This causes the abandoned city to create the eerie feeling that Mavis received. This was a city that Zeref unconsciously killed due to his uncontrollable curse.

The wind howled at them while the trees violently swayed at the direction the wind comes from. It was as if it's telling them to turn back and never returns but they choose to continue to walk the pathway.

Right or left, straight or behind, there were no one in sight. It was just them and them alone. The buildings were all in a ruin state with vines and tendrils growing on it. To follow up with the buildings, there were small stone marbles which were chipped off from the once completed buildings due to corrosion. Windows made from glass, scatter across the city thus they had to be careful on where they are walking.

"Mavis, there are glass around here. Would it be better if we get a pair of shoe?" Zeref asked pointing to a long stretch of walkway, approximately 120 meters with sharp glass scattering all over the path. He vaguely remembers that this was a shopping district thus the lacrima and window glass.

Mavis shook her head and smiled at him. "There is always a solution in any problems we face. Such as now, I do not have any shoes as I'm used to walking around barefooted. But Zeref, you do. So…" She walked to his back while Zeref followed her direction.

"Zeref would piggyback me as we crossed." She advised and saw that he let out a sigh, Though Mavis weight is light, he just couldn't help sighing as he had to do some 'hard labour'.

Nonetheless, Zeref squat down and balanced himself while placing one hand out to touch the ground. He then turned his head slightly to face her and said in a monotone voice, "Climb aboard, Mavis."

With that being indicated, she adjust her pink dress before climbing up onto his back. She then sling her arms around his neck to balance herself before Zeref slowly stood up with his arm interlocked against each other and placed it on where Mavis's bum was . This is to secure a 'seat' for her while her legs dangle alongside his waist.

Despite his skinny body build, Zeref was still able to piggyback Mavis and walked down the dangerous path. Mavis on the other hand, leans onto his back to ease his walk and he appreciated it.

Even after Zeref walked across the dangerous road, he refused to let her down as he felt that this way was much more comfortable. Mavis on the other hand, was blushing madly whenever she told him to let her down but his answer to her was always "I'm protecting you from any hidden sharp objects."

"Jerk…" She mumbled behind his back and he chuckled at how adorable she was. A smile graced on his face as he listened to her rants.

Just as they reached the school entranced, a strong wind blew passed and in the entrance stood a figure. They didn't know who it was but on a closer look after the wind died down, the figure looks familiar to Zeref.

The figure was an elderly man who wore the traditional kasaya with a wooden cane for stability.

"Se...Sensei? H-How did you?" Zeref was taken aback as the figure soon became clearer. His eyes were watery as he remembers how well his teacher had taught him. He may have been a genius but a teacher is still there to guide the student.

"I see that you have been trying your best to revert the curse for over 400 years and unfortunately, the curse was never undo. Zeref-kun, not every question or theory has an answer. Assumption is one thing but accuracy is another. The choice of bringing your dead brother back had causes you to lose the way to love someone else." The figure spoke after analysing Zeref and he hang his head low.

Zeref felt ashamed that his research had led to a devastating event in which the world changed because of him. He became the black wizard and was given an immortal life. Not to mention, he dragged Mavis into his mess. However, his teacher didn't know one thing.

"Sensei, it's true that I had not find the cure to the curse and it's also true that there were consequences in my action. I became the black wizard and gained an immortal life. However, within the 400 years, I had seen many different scenario played in front of my eyes. People who suffered during the trade war and people who experience joy when a new family member is added. I learn from mistakes that the people normally does and prevent it from happening in the future. I am privileged enough to see all that from happening. Also, I would not have met Mavis if I did not gained immortal life." Zeref answered in a truthful manner and Mavis hugged him in which she had to remind herself that the hugged means nothing in order to control her own curse.

The elderly teacher listened to his explanation before nodding at it. "The fine lady behind your back may have been a pillar of support to you."

Zeref tilt his head back a little and Mavis nuzzled against his cheeks. "Yeah, she is." A faint smile graced upon his face as he agrees on his teacher.

"To revert the Ankhseram black magic, Zeref-kun had to do the opposite of it." His teacher give the hint to him.

"Opposite?" Zeref question as he could not understand it.

"You're a talented wizard so figure out the answer on your own. Everyone had forgiven you, Zeref-kun, and I must be on my way. Good luck, Zeref-kun" The teacher turned to multiple light blue orbs and disappear from the view.

After all these years, Zeref's teacher was waiting for him. He may not have forgiven himself for killing everyone but they had forgiven him for his action.

"Th-thank you, Sensei." He said as his tears finally falls from his eyes. Mavis hugged him once more to let him know that if he needed someone to talk too or comfort, she's there. Zeref let her down as she wants to hug him in the front in which he obligated to her. Right now, he needed the hugged as much as possible.

A few minutes later, they broke apart and Mavis put up her wide smile that indicate that everything is going to be alright.

"Zeref's sensei said something about opposite isn't? Do you know what it means?" Mavis asked as she put her hands onto her chin to think.

"Opposite… the Ankhseram black magic takes away life which we cares about…" Zeref started analysing as well.

"And this in turned causes us to be immortal… Hang on... Others? Self?" Mavis speak out loud to clarify on things. She then continued.

"It's always been other people isn't? Like how Zeref thinks of reviving Natsu by using the R-System or Eclipse and how I was willing to give up my life to save Yuri. You see, using the R-System means sacrificing lives and using Eclipse means that you need a Celestial Spirit wizard to do so. Other people are involved in it. For my case, I casted an imperfect Law taught by Zeref to save Yuri and that in turns causes my body to stay permanently in the time that I had cast it. Slowly, I gained the Ankhseram black magic. See here? Zeref taught me. So I did had an 'other' people here." She explained her reason while he listened to her tentatively.

"It's my fault that I had taught you Law." Zeref bite his lips as he remembers Mavis finding him for help on her magic. As she uses an illusion magic, Zeref thought that maybe Law would suit her but to perfect it would take 10 years. That however ended in a consequences to her.

"If Law wasn't taught to me, Yuri would have died. Fairy Tail would not be the same as of today. Everything happens for a reason and I am glad that you taught me. If Yuri died, I won't know that Zera was an illusion and Fairy Tail may not even exist. So stop blaming yourself." She scolded him before returning back to the issue.

"As I was saying, in both situation, we had always thought of the other person. But did we ever thought about our self? We are willingly to give up our life for the other person and that means that we are betraying our own life. We lived for a reason and that's why, our punishment was the curse."

Zeref then counter back after running through possible question to ask her.

"However, I am pretty sure that your kids had always been willing to put their lives on the line whenever they fight any forms of enemy."

"They uses their magic in which they are familiar with. I however uses an imperfect Law but I had also modify and improved Law by removing the side effect so none of my kids would ever suffer the same fate as I had." She explained to him after considering his questions.

With that in mind, Zeref tried to think of other questions as it's better to have a question in which it might be useful in the future. However, he ended up with none.

"So, what do we have to do?" Zeref asked and Mavis smiled.

"Love yourself." She answered and Zeref raised an eyebrow.

"I think that the curse was delay on my body was because of the Second Trade war. During the war, I'm always thinking of the safety of the guild and at the same time, my safety. That's why I think the curse took a while to active. So Zeref, we need to learn to love our self again." She knew it was difficult for him to do so but she believed he can do it.

Zeref had love blind him once and is worried that the curse might kill him. But there wasn't any harm in doing so. After all, he had always wanted to die.

"I guess so… I'm willing to try it." He mumbles after giving in and Mavis placed her hands onto his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I would be here with you. We will do it together." She smiled once more to give him confident in which he felt that he needed it.

The two of them sat face to face, hand in hand and in front of the school. They closed their eyes and took steady breathe.

"Empty your mind, let everything go. Release the things that you are holding back." Mavis said and she felt a warm gentle breeze around her. It may have been her imagination as the town she was in, had strong and rough breeze.

Zeref did as he was told while listening to Mavis' explanation. As he closed his mind, he thought about giving the possible love to Larcade. Ever since he was created, he brushed him off as he was afraid that he would hurt or kill him. That's why Zeref tried his best to stay away from the palace. He knew his son was waiting for him but it's for the best.

The now gentle breeze touched the warmth of their cheeks and even though their eyes were closed, they could sense possible light shining against them.

Were they dead? Thoughts like that was running through their mind but they remain in a meditating form. They were still holding hands and Mavis continued.

"Remember that the reason you are born is to give happiness to yourself and figure out what your belonging is. Your life matters first and remember that even if you are dead, someone else would suffer from it. So love yourself and don't bring harm to it."

Through the mediating and clearing of their hearts and mind, the couple could hear birds chirping and the sound of nature. How is it possible that just a few minutes ago, they were experiencing an eerie feeling but now, they had a pleasant one? No words could explain their situation now.

Slowly, they open their eyes and observed their surroundings. The clouds and rough winds were gone and it was replaced with the early light of the day and the gentle daybreak breeze it comes along.

"Did we?" Zeref asked with a concerned and puzzled tone while looking at Mavis and she leans back slightly with her hands outstretched to support her back as she enjoys the scenes in front of her.

"I guess we did." She smiled warmly as Zeref observed his surrounding once more. It was still a ghost town but somehow or another, he could see white orbs heading to the sky. Were they the souls of the people that he had killed and finally, they could gained peace?

"I'm still not convinced on it…" He dragged his words as he starts to hesitate on the scene in front of him. How could such a simple action cause the curse to be revert?

"Guess the God of Ankhseram felt that you had atone for your sins. Look, the town was not the same when we first arrive." Mavis commented and maybe she is right.

He turned and pinned her onto the ground in which she was not prepared for it. His body topped her petite body easily and his elbow was placed in-between her head to not give her an escape route.

She was caged by her lover.

"Does that mean that I could kiss you without holding back?" He asked in a raspy tone. Mavis eyes water at how sincere he was and a tear slide down her flawless cheek. Her hands cupped his cheeks to observe him and she smiled warmly.

"Yes." With that simple word, Zeref leans down to plant a kiss onto her lips and she did not hesitate to kiss him back. He thought that history would repeat itself and he had to carry her dead body back.

But that didn't happen.

**-End of flashback-**

In this very blissful moment of their kiss, they were ready to go further, until a cough from the background took their attention; causing the moment to be interrupted.

"I'm sorry to ruin your highness and your majesty 'love' but we should proceed back to the palace. Princess Zera and Larcade are awaiting for your arrival." A snow-haired young man spoke as he pushed his glasses up to his nose bridge.

"Ye-yeah! We should!" Mavis turned nervously back to the planked as Zeref took the lead to show her that he's a gentleman. With his outstretched hand, Mavis held onto it as she made her way down.

"Oh right!" She exclaimed after her foot touched the ground. Zeref looked at her with a bewildered look as Mavis raised her finger to tap her chin.

"I still need to set a punishment for 'I had abandon my son because the curse said so' for the things that he had done to his very own son! Zeref! You don't have to abandon our cute son! So get ready for a couple of Fairy Glitter and sleeping in someone else's room!" She raged at him as she hits his chest in a playful way.

Meanwhile, the soldiers and a few of the Spriggan 12 especially Irene and Invel tries their hardest to evade attention from their ruler.

Irene and Invel were dispatched to escort their ruler to wherever they go. This trip, they went to Tenroujima but they docked their huge ship in a port town called Halcyon. Zeref and Mavis then rent a private boat to head over to Tenroujima. Just the two of them. No one else.

It was after all, Mavis hometown and where her grave used to be. Now they had to do something about the grave but decided to leave it there for the time being.

"Your Majesty, the Spriggan 12 has been notified about your return and they would assemble by the throne room." Irene announced the preparation as she lowered her head in respect.

"I appreciate it, thank you for the hard work." Zeref nods for the arrangement as they walked passed her but held Mavis close to him as he sense that she wasn't used to Irene yet. Well, what could he expect when they declared a war with Fairy Tail?

To be precise, Irene and Invel were the most impactful to Mavis. Irene for attempting to extract Fairy Heart and Invel for sealing up her movement. It was definitely a humiliating and traumatizing event for Mavis to go through.

"I'm sorry." Zeref admitted softly as they walked but Mavis brushed it off since it was the n-th time that Zeref had apologise. He was already forgiven but he still blames himself for doing it.

"I told you, Zeref. It was part of the plan." Mavis offered a smile to at least reassure him but knowing him, he still blames himself.

As they walked into the capital, the townspeople were all standing parallel; having a walkway in the center while cheering for the arrival of their ruler. Phrases like 'Long live his majesty the empire! Long live her highness the empire!'

The 'young' highness was indeed uncomfortable with the set up but she appreciate their hard work. Not long, they finally reached the palace gate and Zeref ordered everyone to be dismissed. Including Irene and Invel.

Mavis in the far corner of her eyes, saw a sandcastle kingdom and quicken her pace to see it; leaving Zeref behind.

The animal sandcastle were crafted neatly and precise and also, Zera name and those who had helped her were written at the corner of the sandbox.

"Her creativity is top notch." Zeref commented as he examined the details. Mavis on the other hand, was touched that her daughter was always thinking of them.

"Yeah, she's a sweet girl." Mavis let a single tear slide down her flawless skin and Zeref panicked.

"Mavis?!" Zeref exclaimed as he doesn't know what to do. He could comfort her but what should he say?

Suddenly, a high pitch voice screeched behind Mavis was heard and it was a voice that she missed dearly. Slowly turning around, her 3 years old daughter and her son exit the connected palace tunnel.

"Mama! Papa!" Zera screeched out once more and she let go her older brother hand before making a sprint to her parents.

"Zera!" Mavis scoop her up to snuggle her soft cheeks as giggles could be heard. Zeref on the other hand, stood still and refused to show affection to her.

"Come on, Zeref." Mavis secured Zera by interlocking her arms together to create a 'seat' for her to rest on while Zera had her arms placed over Mavis's neck. A single nervous sweat slide down his face as he hesitate.

"Papa?" Zera question and blinked at him as if something was wrong with her. "Did… I disappoint you? I'm sorry, I would work harder..." She hang her head with a disappointed tone and Mavis this time glares at him.

"No, sweetie!" Zeref quickly defends himself and placed his large hands over her head. Zera looked up and Zeref knew his in for some punishment since he made his own daughter cry. Letting out a sighed, he told Mavis to transfer Zera to her and she did so.

Taking a deep breathe, Zeref spoke in a calm and natural way. "Listen here Zera, I'm not disappointed at you and in fact, I'm proud of you. Not many kids at your age is able to craft beautiful animal sandcastle. I'm just worried about hurting you." A guilty look on his face when Larcade joins up with them. Larcade stayed quiet at the conversation as even though Mavis greeted him, all he said was in a monotone voice, "Welcome back, Mother, Father."

"Larcade, thank you so much for taking care of Zera for us." Mavis said facing him and though she was his mother, there was an awkwardness between them.

"It's my duty as her older brother." As on cue, Zera let out a yawn and she immediately cover her mouth, thinking that it was rude to do so.

"The little princess is sleepy?" Zeref tickles her stomach and as a response, she giggles and leaned back till she almost fell off. However, Zeref managed to get a gripped before she went off balance. If he had dropped her, his doom for life.

"N-No...I-" Another yawn from Zera came and her eyes were watery as well. This indicated that she is starting to doze off.

"Zera had spent the entire morning building the sandcastle and she hasn't had her nap yet." Larcade answer and Zeref placed his hand on her head.

"Go off to your room and have your nap. It's essential for a child to get as much rest as possible." Zeref spoke in a way where he understood a child development. After all, he did took care of Natsu when he was a child.

Shaking her head, she tugged onto Zeref shirt and rest her head on his chest. "This… is better…" whispering in a soft tone, she soon fell asleep on his chest despite his protest.

"Zera hates to be left alone in her room when she's taking her nap so she's always placed in my room while I watched over her." Larcade notify them on Zera's recent sleeping patterns as their parents are rarely home and they rarely stays as well.

"Nee, why don't we bring her along to the Spriggan 12 meeting? There is something you would want to announce wasn't? " Mavis suggested and seeing how Zera's tugged was still tight, they decided to go with that suggestion.

"Something wrong, Father?" Larcade raised an eyebrow and he nods.

"I would announced it in the meeting. Even Mavis doesn't know it." Zeref stats as he lead the way to the meeting room as Mavis and Larcade follow behind.

"Exactly! This father of two doesn't even want to tell his wife about it!" Mavis pout and rolled her eyes as she told this to Larcade while he chuckle at her reaction.

"Father is all about surprises." He added to his mother sentence.

"This guy is unbelievable!" Mavis groaned out and Zeref halt his stepped the second she spoke that.

"Unfortunately, you love that side of me and you're loud." Snickering a laughed, he resume his walked after seeing the blush on her face.

"Zeref!" Mavis exclaimed loudly and before she knows it, a discomfort noise from the front of Zeref was heard.

"Looks like Zera agrees that you're loud." Zeref once again teased her as Mavis pout at it. Her single lock pointing upwards were now pointing the opposite direction as imaginary gloomy clouds rains upon her.

Sweat dropping at the sight, Lacarde reached for a helping hand. "Mother, Father won't do such a thing." speaking in a monotone way wasn't helping much in the given situation they had.

"Zeref, reminds me to use Fairy Glitter on you for destroying my son's cheerfulness." Glaring at the back of Zeref, she swore that she needs to avenge her son for the neglection Lacarde had experience.

Zeref shivered from the sudden cold treatment that Mavis had announced and before long, they reached the entrance of the meeting room. Larcade voluntarily helped to push the silver door for them and inside the meeting room, everyone of the Spriggan 12 was present. Including the fallens such as God Serena and Neinhart.

The Spriggan 12 murmurs dies down after their majesty enters and the echo of the footsteps were stressing the importance of this meeting. However, none of them missed the part where Zera was asleep; resting her head against his chest.

The image of their majesty took a turn and this was by far the most adorable scene they had ever seen.

"Welcome back, his majesty and your highness." The Spriggan 12 announced all together and they nod with acknowledgement.

As Larcade and Mavis took their seat at the circular table, Zeref cleared his throat as he gently pat Zera's bums to sooth her to sleep.

"I have decided to bring Zera to Ishgar as she needs to socialize with people her age. Even in this empire that I had created, we didn't allow her to leave the palace gate. Nor do we even let the empire knows about the existence of Zera. The reason behind that is due to the fact that she is a princess. Every child would definitely want to be her friend but deep down, I know the adults would have a motive. Thus, moving to Ishgar would allow Zera to live as a normal girl. No princess title, just Zera Dragneel." Zeref speak with authority and his Spriggan 12 were all having the same thought.

"Your majesty," started Invel as he pushed his glasses up to his nose bridge, "Zera-sama is accustomed to the rules of the empire. If we do move her to Ishgar, would there be a problem? I believed that even though the war has ended for over 10 years, Ishgar would not accept our apology." He had his hands interlocked with one another as he runs a few thoughts on this given topic.

"There won't be a problem." This time, Mavis stood up to voiced her opinion. "I was afraid something similar would occur and I had my agent to look into it."

Out of the blue, a man appears beside Mavis and just on cue, the Spriggan 12 were on guard. However, Mavis told them to stand down as his an ally.

The man wore a simple dark green jeans, belt, and black shoes. Around his right bicep consist a band and around both wrists are light-colored wristbands with a dark stripe going through the middle. A red mark of Fairy Tail insignia rest on his right shoulder.

"Zera would be placed in Fairy Tail. It is after all, First Master's child. To add on, Fairy Tail has a total of 11 new second generation members directly under the main Fairy Tail team. Though there are a few other new members, these 11 second generation children had mostly inherited their parent's genes. Given with Zera situation, she would fit in. However, at the same time, she's the child of Zeref. There are a few who holds hatred towards Zeref but that doesn't mean that they would push the blame to his child. Fairy Tail members isn't those type of people." The man said and Mavis agrees to what he had mention.

"Thank you, Mest for helping out." She smiled warmly to Mest and he return a gracious smile. Mest kneeled down on one knee as he bows to her.

"Anything for First Master." He said with a cautious tone as right now, he did infiltrate the empire.

"I have asked Mest to pass the message to Fairy Tail's current guild master on the arrival of the empire. It's confidential and no one except the guild master is aware of it." Mavis continued and she helped Mest up back on his feet. She then continued.

"And I do know that everyone here have one common question you would asked and that is 'how do we persuade Fairy Tail to believe us'. That is solved as I would speak to them about the peace that we have with the Alverz Empire and as far as possible, have an alliance with them. I know that the Empire operates on its own but I believes that forming an alliance would be able to unite us together. It's hard to ask for it but I hope that you would understand."

Mavis bow to show her sincerity of making peace with the empire and Fairy Tail as she doesn't want anyone to fight over this matter.

What Mavis wasn't expecting was a hand on her head followed by a ruffled. She looked up and saw Zeref with a smile on his face.

"Seems that Mavis had this all planned out before I even announced this. Have you finally figure out why I did not mention this earlier to you?" He said as Mavis blushed a little for overacting earlier. Zeref then cleared his voice to address another matter.

"As much as I know that everyone is worried about Zera, I would only allow Larcade and Irene to stay in Ishgar. Furthermore, I am aware of some members having a bond with a few of the Fairy Tail members so we would only docked for 3 days." Zeref continues and he glanced to Brandish whom hide a small smile.

"Father, Mother, what about the two of you?" Larcade asked as even though he would be staying with his sister, he felt worried that they might be separated again.

"Mest had helped us settle accommodation in the North-East forest of Magnolia and this include Irene-san as well. It would be a normal cabin apartment but I do believe it is 3 stories high with the 2nd and 3rd stories having 5 individual bed rooms per levels. 1st level would be where the kitchen and living room would be. Everything is put in place so it's a matter of when we would move." Mavis answered him as she is aware that somehow or another, Larcade would asked about them.

Deep down, Larcade felt a sense of joy as finally, he is able to live alongside with his parents. The feeling of being left alone in the palace while he waits for his father to return was gone and now, he even has his mother and sister.

"We would take about 2 days to reach Hargeon Port and we won't be taking the empire ship. Instead, we would be using the ship that Mest had arranged. " Zeref commanded once more and this time, he heard mumbles from his chest before feeling the movement of someone waking up.

"Di-did… I?" Zera rubbed her eyes as she slowly wakes up from her quick nap. She saw her father's gentle eyes and the way he supports her was giving her the sense of security that a child needs.

"Morning Princess, does having a few more friends sounds like a great idea?" Zeref crooked his head in a playful manner despite being in the presence of his Spriggans. He then runs his fingers down Zera's soft hair in which giggles could be heard. A smile was formed on Zeref as soon as those tiny voices rang into his ears.

"That sounds…," Zera thought for awhile before smiling to her father. "Great!" She flunked her arms up in excitement but something was wrong. Why was he questioning her?

So she placed her index fingers on her chin as if she was thinking about something. "Where are we going?" She scanned around the room as if someone would eventually tell her the answer.

"Well, Sweetie, we would be going to Fairy Tail." Mavis concluded for her beloved daughter and walks to Zeref to indicate to him that it's her turn to carry her baby girl.

"Fairy Tail? Mama's guild?" Zera asked cutely after she was transferred to her mother while receiving a nod of acknowledgement. She did grew up listening to Fairy Tail stories as her bedtime story. Especially on how it was created and who was involved.

"Uh-huh. Zera's eager to meet them?" Mavis continued to coo at her daughter and with a determined nod, Zera agrees to it.

"I'm Zera Dragneel! A princess in Alvarez Empire but an ordinary child in Ishgar!" She voiced out her difference in status as her mother did went through this with her a few months ago.

"With this arrangement, the meeting has ended. We would begin to departure in 3 hours' time." Zeref concluded and thus, the trip to Ishgar begins.

* * *

**A/N: With that, here's the question for this chapter!**

**'If Zera is your younger sister, how would you spoil her?'**

**Please leave your answer in the review or you could message me and I would see you all in the next chapter!**


	10. Trouble with Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I apologize for the slow update as I was busy with school but here is the new chapter! The next chapter has been written so do look forward to it!

 

* * *

  
"Mum, Dad, I have an immortal question to ask." The little pinkette of the Dragneel question as she was in-between her beloved parents; holding their hands. They are currently walking down Magnolia street to the market district to get the utensils that the Redfox's Family needs.

"Nashi... do you mean 'important' question?" Lucy asked as she sweats dropped listening to her daughter's request. It wasn't like her to get mixed up with words.

Nashi shook her head and answer the Celestial Spirit mage. "The meaning of 'immortal' means living forever. Questions would never die out and there is a whole range of questions that were never answered. Such as 'Do Fairies have tails?' That was First Master question and there wasn't any answer up to date."

Lucy was indeed amazed that her daughter could infer 'Immortal' in a different way and that's what makes Nashi unique. "I see, so what is your 'immortal' question, sweetheart?"

Taking a deep breath, Nashi asked once more "So what are we getting again?"

It felt like a wind just blew pass Lucy as she looked at her daughter with a bewildered look. However, a laughter was heard on the other side of Nashi and it was none other than Natsu.

"Hahaha! Brat! Obviously, food!" Natsu laughed out and points his index finger at his daughter as stray tears of laughter could be seen in his eyes. What he doesn't know was a fist smacked on his head by his wife.

"What am I even going to do with you two?" Lucy groaned out as she rubbed her nose bridge to calm herself down. She knew Natsu was difficult to handle but who knew their daughter was as dense as him. For example, Nashi would even believe she was a descendant of a ninja family.

"Owh! What was that for, Lucy?!" Natsu whined out while rubbing his visible bumped while his daughter snickers a giggle at her parent's interaction.

"I thought you would grow up a little, Natsu. Guess I was wrong." A blue Exceed flew beside Natsu and this caught the attention of the Dragneel family.

"Happy! Where were you all these times?! I thought you were watching Natsu and Nashi?!" Lucy exclaimed as she did not see the blue Exceed when she went back to their destroyed home. Most of the time, Happy was sort of like their 'babysitter' whenever Lucy is out on a solo job since disaster would strike if Natsu is left with Nashi. The emphasis with their destroyed home.

Happy stick out his chest with a proud look as he flew a little higher to demonstrate superior. "Carla taught me the art of transformation. I would want to be useful in battle, so I seek help from her. And, Lucy...-" Happy paused as he swallows his saliva on what he was about to say.

"What happened to the house? It was as if a fire tornado had struck, leaving a few scorch marks behind." Happy knew the obvious answer was the duo fire user but somehow or another, he loves to listen to Lucy rants on them.

"Someone decided that a 'one-meter' bee was out on the loose and started to throw fireballs to get rid of it." Lucy eyed her Dragon Slayers as they advert eye contact with her; feigning their innocence.

"Say Nashi, there's a promotion for chicken wraps not far from here. Shall we take a quick bite before we begin the search?" Natsu asked his daughter and lifted her to settle her, on his shoulder as he spots a promotion board for the said chicken wrap.

"With extra chili sauce!" Nashi chimed out immediately as Natsu began to walk away from Lucy and Happy.

The blond and the Exceed sighed as these were normal in the Dragneel Household. Natsu would always pamper his daughter no matter how much of a troublemaker she was and never had he ever scolded her. He may not look like a dependable father, but Lucy knew that he is the best father on the Earth.

Maybe it's because Natsu does not want his daughter to suffer the same fate that he and Lucy had in the past. When they were younger, the love that they had in their own family was short. Lucy loss her beloved mother and was neglected by her father while Natsu loss his dragon father.

They swore that they would not let Nashi suffer on what they went through, so they promise to shower her with love. However, someone must set rules and regulation and Lucy was the perfect candidate for it.

Lucy and Happy eventually walked forward to catch up with the duo and saw them waiting in line to get their food. It was crowded due to the sales but despite the long line, both father and daughter had a smile on their face and that was what Lucy wants to see.

A happy and sweet family.

"Luce! Happy! Do you want anything?!" Natsu shouts from the line and Lucy shook her head while Happy flew over to them before resting on Nashi's head.

"Get me a tuna wrap, Natsu~" Happy answered and Natsu should have expected that answer. What was he supposed to think? Beef for the cat? Neh.

"Uncle Happy, Uncle Happy! Is fish that delicious?" Nashi asked as she placed him in between her arms in a cuddle position. Happy turns his head about 45 degrees to look at the female pinkette and with a smug look, he explained.

"Fish are the best food in the world! Nothing could top fish! Raw fish, grilled fish, steam fish, and everything that is made up of fish are the most delicious food in the world!"

"Ehh?! But meat is too! The tender juice of the fried chicken and the tender meat of those grilled chicken too!" Nashi whined out to counter the Exceed and this just got the Exceed even more fired up.

A few minutes passed and Natsu was next in line to order his food. Also, he was hearing how his daughter and Happy were entertaining each other on their own opinion of 'Which is better? Fish or Meat?' topic. He made the purchase with the money he has from a mission that his family went not long ago.

It wasn't long until their food was ready and Natsu thanked him before taking the three packets of food. Two extra spicy chicken wraps and a tuna wrap. At this point, Nashi had release Happy and he hovers beside her like he was the guardian angel to her. Natsu too had settle her down onto the ground so that she would not spill any sauce onto his head.

Natsu knew from experience that settling Nashi on his shoulder would means disaster. Be it sauce, ice cream or even drinks, she was clumsy and tends to spill whatever food item she has.

"Itadakimasu!" The 3 chimed together before dining onto their wrap. Each of them had a blissful look as Lucy could see floating hearts around them.

"As usual, they look like kids whenever they have food." Lucy thought to herself as she was satisfied with the sight that she was seeing. Natsu was trying to steal some bites from his daughter even though they ordered the exact same food while Nashi was dodging all his attack.

To break their bicker, Lucy clap her hands together to get their attention.

"Come on you three. Once you are done with the wrap, we could begin the search for Levy-chan's utensils." This, however, doesn't stop the trio from munching quickly.

"Or! We could eat WHILE we shop! We won't be entering any shops since most of it doesn't seem to allow food, but the Market Fair is different!" Nashi dodges another attack from her father before taking a bite of his chicken wrap.

"Market Fair?" Lucy quotes her daughter's words and Natsu and Happy nod.

"Why else would there be wraps on sales? There's a Market Fair today, Lucy" Natsu continued and took a bite of his own wrap which was too eaten by his daughter.

"Right..." Lucy didn't even realize that they were standing at the entrance of the shopping district and to make matter worse, there were tons of people entering and exiting the shopping district.

"Stay close, Nashi. I don't want to lose you in this huge crowd." Lucy reminded Nashi as she was about to take another bite of her wrap but pout when her mother treats her like a young child.

"Geez, mum! I'm a big girl now! I'm 10 and maybe mum had to take note of dad and uncle Happy too." as Nashi mention this, Lucy notice her pink haired husband and the blue Exceed were missing. She then shakes her head side to side to try to locate them and she spots them queuing up for another food stand inside of the market districts.

Lucy sigh and brought her hands up to her temple and rubbed it as she felt a headache was on its way. Who knew Natsu is still as childish as he was when she met him for the very first time. However, her thoughts and action were interrupted when she felt a pair of small hand slipped into her free hand. Looking down, she saw her daughter smiling at her with bits of chili sauce at the corner of her lips.

"But despite that, I still want to be spoiled by mum and dad and it felt great to have someone thinking of my own safety," Nashi spoke, and Lucy internally squeal at what her daughter just said. She then took out a packet of tissue from her bag before squatting down to Nashi's eye level; to help her daughter wiped the sauce off.

"Nashi's clean now." Lucy stood up and clenched the tissue together before discarding it at a nearby trash bin.

With a quick nod and almost dropping her wrap, Nashi held tightly onto her mother's hand and the two female proceeds into the market district. There were tons of people and everyone was apologizing to each other as it was easy to bump into anyone if they aren't careful.

The Market Fair was designed in a way that the right alley is selling unique items such as rare and antique items while the left alley is selling food. Both alleys are about 10 meters apart so there won't be any misleading queue but despite the length, there was still hardly any walkway.

With having 2 different categories being opposite each other (food and items), shoppers could easily take a break whenever they want.

"IS THAT TAKOYAKI?!" Nashi chimed out loudly as the females got closer to the males and Natsu nod with a smile. There were about 10 people ahead of him so it's going to take a while before they get their food. Natsu and Happy had finished their wrap while Nashi had only eaten half of hers.

"Natsu, once you're done getting the food, meet us at the shop with a red tablecloth. It's about 3 shops away from here." Lucy attempts to point to the shop but since it was crowded, she had difficulties in doing so.

Without looking, Natsu grinned at his wife. "Don't worry. Your scent is rather unique and despite with all the delicious scent of the food, yours is one that has been embedded in my heart, mind, and nose. I would always return to your side. And, the faster Lucy finishes up finding the necessary utensils, the faster we could explore the food store."

Once again, Lucy shakes her head with a sigh as all Natsu could think of are food. She then remembers her daughter was a carbon copy of Natsu so, between food and shopping, she would normally choose the first choice.

"What about you, sweetie? Would you like to follow me, or would you like to wait with daddy?" Lucy could see her daughter having a tough time to decide which weighs an important factor. Both choices have its pros and cons, but it wasn't long when she finally decided on her choice.

"I would go with mummy. I want to check out the stores and get something for Yumi-chan since we would be staying together for a while." Nashi spoke out and took another bite of her wrap.

"I would see you later, Natsu." Lucy then leads her daughter out of the food alley and since her attention was on Nashi, she did not see ahead and accidentally bump into a man wearing a black cloak. The hoodie prevented Lucy from making eye contact with him.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Lucy apologizes but the man grunts at her and continues his way; ignoring her.

"What's his problem?" Lucy whispers to herself and with Nashi's enhanced hearing, she shrugged. There wasn't a point to think about it, so Lucy pushes the matter away and they continue their path to the store.

There was a crowd of people looking at the unique utensils, but the mother-daughter pair was able to squeeze themselves to the base of the table and starts to look for the item.

They were amazed that there was different style of utensils as they saw a spoon which has its handle twirl to form 4 circles and this enable the consumer to insert their fingers in it. Something like wearing a ring and yes, they still need to clench their fingers, but the palm would be utensils free. This too enables the palm to be free from nail marks as females tend to be more cautious with their newly done Medicare.

"Maybe we need something that is metal resist or not made of metal. Somewhere along the line of resistance." Lucy told her daughter and she scans the table with labels of the utensils description.

"What about wood?" Nashi asked, and her mother shakes her head.

"Wood does leave a special kind of taste if you are drinking soup. It's harmless but it does ruin the actual taste of the food. But nonetheless, wooden utensils are excellent for cooking and preparing dishes. Just not regular dining." Lucy explains as she points to the said wooden spoon.

Nashi nods as her wooden spoon suggestion was rejected and she proceeds to continue to scan the table. Finding nothing, she turns to her mother and tugged her mother's clothes to get attention.

"I'm done with my wrap. May I throw it away in the bin? And, may I check a few stores that sell accessories?" Nashi asked as she points to the bin which was located about a meter further from them. Lucy nod with a smile as she was glad that Nashi still remembers her manners.

"Sure, you may, sweetie. Do you have enough jewel?" As Lucy mentions this, Nashi was already making her way out of the crowd.

Turning back, Nashi called. "I do! Don't worry, mummy, I would be fine!" She then proceeds to the trash bin and threw her rubbish in.

Just as she was about to take a step forward, she notices a sign paste against a wall and the wordings 'Exotic items, here.' was written. The arrow was pointing towards the alley and it was away from the open space.

"Little Girl, are you interested?" a black cloak man asked leaning against the wall; away from the open space. Nashi suspects it was the same cloak man from earlier.

"Mmm... mummy said I can't follow anyone..." Nashi answered him, and the man continues the conversation.

"There are pretty accessories and delicious sweets as well. We are travellers and we were late to apply for a store in this Market Fair. We do have unique items for your age, little girl."

"Are there any cute accessories ?!" Nashi ears peaked an interest in what she had heard and had forgotten what safety was.

The cloaked man chuckled and reached a hand out for Nashi to hold. "I'm sure there is something that might interest you. After all, you're such a good girl to go shopping with your parents. Not many kids would want to tag along with their parents as they want to be independent."

Nashi fluttered at his sentence and stick her chest out in a proud manner. "Of course! I am always independent! Mr, you're funny! I like you! So, I would follow you!" Nashi took his hand without any second thought; the hooded man leads Nashi away from the crowd as they went deeper into the alley. He eventually leads her out of the busy Market District and to a deserted narrow back alley where a construction site was taking place. A dark blue table was station against the wall and the shopkeeper wears a black cloak as well.

Display of antique clips, rubber band, and necklace caught Nashi's attention and it wasn't expensive. It was something that she could afford with her minimum jewels.

As Nashi was engrossed with everything on the table, she didn't realize that the cloaked man crept closer towards her with a cloth filled with chloroform. Thus, with a swift move, he held Nashi steadily and forced the cloth against her nose and mouth. She did attempt her magic and struggle, but it was nullified by the runes that were placed around her surrounding where she didn't notice.

It wasn't long until Nashi falls unconscious due to inhaling the gas and her body went limp. The man then lifted her up with ease and signal his comrade that their job is done.

**\----Meanwhile-----**

Lucy finally made her decision to purchase a set of silverware which she was told that it was created using ancient nickel silver which is sustainable. She, however, doubts that since she knew two specific individuals who could easily munch down on any metals or iron parts easily.

As she was about to find Nashi, Natsu and Happy came with their takoyaki boat which was already half eaten by the duo since their cheeks were puffed up liked squirrels.

"This is good, Lucy! Here! Have a bite!" Natsu offered her a piece and Lucy open her mouth to accept the steaming hot takoyaki. It was indeed juicy and smooth, and it was easy to consume without much chewing needed.

"You're right, Natsu. This is indeed delicious. Better find the pipsqueak before she starts complaining that the food is cold. Where is she anyway?" Lucy looked 360 degrees, but she didn't spot any pinked haired little girl.

Natsu sniffed the air and followed her scents which stopped right at the bin. Thus, he knew that Nashi didn't go to any stores that she mention earlier. However, he did spot a piece of advertisement on the wall which was visible in the eyeline of an 8 to 10 years old kid.

Happy ripped the sign and read " 'Exotic items, here', and it is pointing towards the inner alley too". He looked up and the adults gazed into the direction of the alley.

"Kids being kids, being told that there are rare items, they would follow blindly without question asked. And-" As Lucy was about to continue, she saw Natsu sniffed the air and his voice changed to a serious tone.

"Nashi did walk towards the alley, but her scents stopped right there," Natsu answered honestly as he continues to sniff and figure out why can't he sniff any further.

Lucy, on the other hand, begins to inspect the said suspicious alley and found out that there were runes writing on the ground.

" 'Dispel human's scents, senses, and magic for 20 minutes in a 1-kilometer distance. After that, release rune.' " Lucy read, and the runes begin to fade after Lucy finished it. Without a second to lose, Natsu had taken the lead and grabbed onto Lucy's hands to dragged her to where he is going. Happy took the takoyaki boat away from Natsu as he is all fired up now.

"She's here! The runes prevented a dragon slayer from using their enhanced ability!" Natsu explained the situation to Lucy as they run towards the direction of a deserted back alley. They should have figured it out when the Market Fair was opposite to a construction site since the next generation decided to make Magnolia their playground a few days ago.

The couple exited the alley and was almost stampede by a magic four-wheel vehicle that zoom pass them. However, Natsu managed to catch the scents of his daughter inside it.

"Lucy! Stop that vehicle!" He ordered, and Lucy was already in standby mode.

"Gate of the maiden, I open thee! Virgo!" A magic circle followed by a doorbell was heard and the celestial spirit appears without any delay.

"It's punishment time, princess?" The maiden asked as she offered Lucy a whip to emphasis on her point. Even though years had passed, Virgo had still refused to drop her corrupted mind.

"Not now! First, we got to stop that vehicle! They had Nashi!" Lucy cried out and Virgo drilled down onto the concrete to sink the wheels of the vehicle.

The vehicle was stuck in a 3 meters depth by 5 meters wide hole and Natsu jumped down to corner them. Lucy, on the other hand, had station at the opening of it, to make sure that the kidnappers don't escape.

"Release my daughter!" Natsu barked as he glared dangerously at the kidnappers. Two cloak figures from earlier stepped out of the vehicle and Natsu was on the defence.

"You got to work your way here." The first kidnapper who lured Nashi answered him.

"Do not blame me for the destruction that I would cause." Natsu cracked his knuckle and proceed to punch them but a loud explosion was heard from behind them. The vehicle roof was blasted open with flame and smoke. The kidnapper saw a figure walking its way out of the vehicle and Natsu grinned as he knew who it was.

"Man, I was hungry! And now I am angry that I can't eat my takoyaki!" Nashi groaned out as she ignites her fist and foot while glaring straight at her kidnappers. She raised her sleeves which reveals her pink Fairy Tail mark on her right shoulder.

"H-how did you?!" The kidnappers had nervous sweat dripping down from their forehead and Nashi blinks innocently at them.

"Isn't it obvious that I had to fake unconscious? Mummy told me that it is self-defence." Nashi answered with a 'matter-of-factly' tone while the adults nod slowly at her response.

With the mini joke put aside, Nashi had her right heels up and body bend forward to get a momentum. She dashed towards the kidnapper duo with her ignited fist and punch them to her father where he began to rough them up due to rage. The father-daughter pair then combine their fire dragon roar to make multiple layers of firewall on the ground to prevent them from escaping.

Natsu wonders why didn't the kidnapper's rune maker set any traps but since the Dragneels had trapped them in their firewalls with no escaped, he doesn't wants to think any further.

 _"That's my girl,"_  Natsu thought to himself as he was rather proud of his own daughter.

"Daddyyyyyy! Because of them, I could not eat the takoyaki!" Nashi was irritated at the fact that she was not fed with the takoyaki despite the danger that she was facing earlier. It was as if Nashi didn't even know that this could be her last time seeing her parents.

"Well, you did a good job and we did save a few pieces for you." Natsu carried his daughter and that cheers her up slightly. "Except...," Natsu paused as he finds it difficult to continue his sentence.

"Except?" Nashi crooked her head to the side with her finger on her chin.

"We had given the takoyaki boat to Happy, so he may have eaten some of it as well." Natsu teased and a horror looked was plastered on Nashi's face.

"EH!?" She screams out loudly and her ears perked up the sound of her mother's irritated voice. She looked up and saw her mother had rolled her eyes on her father's statement and many other voices as well.

"My name is Rio and I am the captain of Magnolia's magic councillor guards. We were notified by the flying cat about a kidnapping incident and they might have been our target that we are tracking down. We will take it from here, Fairy Tail magician." The man named Rio was dressed in the standard magic councillor guards outfit and his team of 6, salutes towards Lucy.

"Virgo" Lucy signal to the celestial spirit and she bow before fixing the ground. Natsu and Nashi released the firewall so that the magic councillor could arrest them. None of the Dragneel's were able to see who was under the cloaked figure. Well, that isn't the important factor now.

"Thank goodness, you're safe" Lucy embraces her family as peace once again returns. This was supposed to be a sweet and memorable moment, but a certain fire dragon slayer just had to ruin it.

"I smell Takoyaki!" Nashi drooled as she lay her eyes on the takoyaki boat that Happy had safeguarded for her. There was only 3 left but it was better than nothing. Nashi reheated the takoyaki with her flame and she happily ate it once she was free from her mother's embrace.

Watching over their daughter, Natsu didn't miss the stray tears that were in Lucy's eyes. "I am not taking away that happiness from you. Trust me on that, Lucy. Trust your beloved husband." He planted a kiss on her forehead and Lucy snuggled close to him.

"I know you will. You would lay your life for this family, but you are not alone. We will be there for you as well." Lucy reassured him and the two of them waited for Nashi to gobble down her heated food.

Now with her tummy being satisfied, Nashi squeeze her way to the centre for attention. Natsu pout as because of Nashi, he couldn't hold onto Lucy anymore. Lucy giggles as this sight were rather cute of Natsu and the father-daughter pair begin to argue once more.

After a few minutes, Lucy suggest. "Shall we return to the guild?" With that said, Nashi's eye beams brightly.

"Let's go! My fist is dying to punch that ice fridge!" Nashi begins to punch and kick her surrounding to emphasis on her point. Her parents get it, so they begin their track back to the guild. Hand in Hand.

 

**\---Chapter End---**

 

 **A/N:** **Do give me comment/feedback on what you think of this fanfic/chapter and how would you like me to improve.**

**Until then, see you in the next chapter!**

 


	11. Youth

“Has anyone seen Fire Lizard?” Silver Fullbuster wondered to the guild’s table where his friends were sitting. Currently, there were only Mirai, Eev, and Rin at the table.

He came to the guild to have lunch with his father after having the whole morning as training. He runs like a prey for about an hour or so and after that ‘running’ warm up with his father, they started training on the Ice Devil magic. Silver has gotten down the basic or theory due to it being similar to his Ice-Make Magic but using Ice Devil magic consumed a huge amount of magic power. Hence, he wasn’t able to use it just yet. Even having to use the ‘rage’ attack causes difficulty for the young mage.

The cousins shrugged their shoulders and Mirai wondered where they are. It was already past noon and yet, they had not seen any of their friends.

“Did something happen? Though I did see Lucy-san, Juvia-san, and Levy-san in the morning. Juvia-san just returned from a mission though.” Mirai answered what she knows and Silver scratched his head irritated while groaning out loudly.

“This suck. I thought I could start another ‘friendly’ match with Fire Lizard again since Reiku doesn’t mind ‘friendly’ matches.”

“You know, I can’t tell the difference between your matches. All seems to be the same to me, woman!” Eev question and ended the sentence up with her signature word.

“ There is a difference. Our normal brawls without Reiku around is a full-fledged attack. No holding back and someone is bound to fall but up till now, no results. On the other hand, 'Friendly Match' is a 2-minute standoff with a timer. Yeah, I know. A damn timer for who knows what reason. Apparently, Reiku set that up for us. And another thing, Eev," Silver turned his gaze to the beast transformer. “I’m not a woman.”

Mirai and Eev laughed it off and Eev waved her hand as if telling him to not mind the small details. Rin, on the other hand, was quietly watching them. She then tugged onto Silver’s shirt.

“Hmm?” Silver glanced down onto the hands before turning to Rin.

“Nashi is 200 meters away, Yumi is 570 meters away, Reiku and Mitsu are 2.5 kilometers away from here. All of them are approaching the guild with their parents and… Jelly is back too.” Rin answered and they saw her bird soft toy entered through the windows. Most likely to find the missing friends that they mention earlier.

“Ohhh, thanks for the information, Rin!” Silver smirked and went to hide at the side of the guild’s entranced to do a sneak attack on Nashi. Screw ‘Friendly Match'. Reiku is 2.5 kilometers away so they had about 10 minutes or so to settle everything.

“So that’s why you were quiet. You were talking to her, woman!” Eev roared out and they heard an annoyed mother voice not far behind.

“Eev, shush! If not, we aren’t going beast hunting!” Evergreen threatens as she stood at the request board to find a suitable job for the family. Eev pout since she hates being told to be quiet. However, since there was a chance to get a new beast for her collection, she suck it up.

“Jelly’s back? I wonder if we could see Tatsuya as well? He had been gone for about 3 months or so. That kid had guts to sneak onto the airship despite having motion sickness.” Mirai placed her elbow on the table and had her chin rested on her open palm. She was amused by the runaway dragon slayer.

As the cousin enjoy their conversation a little longer, they heard loud icicle clashing sound at the entrance followed by a ‘yelp’ sound made by a female which is also followed by a pissed off one. A fire vortex spinning around the girl melt every icicle.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, ICY SNOWMAN!” The pinkette yelled out after the icicle had melt completely, leaving puddles of water behind.

The two jumped away from each other, with Nashi’s back facing the guild while Silver’s back facing the entrance of the guild. Lucy and Natsu walked passed them and made their way to where Gray and Juvia was, which was the table beside the next generation.

“All out.” Silver grinned and tossed his shirt at the side but due to the sudden change of wind direction and speed, his shirt was blown in and smacked Nashi’s face head-on.

Nobody expected that and some even tried to hold in their laughter at the ‘yelp’ sound she made from the smack. Fuming with anger now, Nashi took his shirt away and intended to throw it back at him but she forgot about nature’s wind. The shirt ‘boomerang’ back to her and once again smacked her face. The same sound being made from earlier.

This time, a chorus of laughter erupted within the guild. Some were on the floor laughing while others had to hold their stomach due to the pain.

“Urg!” Nashi then threw the shirt on the floor and stormed into the guild with a pissed off look. She can’t believe that his shirt was fighting with her!

“Oi, Fire Lizard! Does that mean that I won?!” Silver called out with a grinned and Nashi turned to him, giving him an attitude.

“Thank your shirt for that! And that wasn't even a fair fight!” Nashi yelled out as her face was slightly red from the shirt impact. How does a shirt even deals damage to a person? No one other than Nashi knows. She then proceeds to the table with her friends and Eev move to make space for her. She saw them holding back their laughter and Nashi propped down on the chair, glaring at them.

“Sure, go ahead and laugh. I’m sure it’s entertaining to see a wind element defeat a fire element when fire is strong against wind.” Nashi rolled her eyes as she explained the element differences while her friends tried to stop.

“Sorry, Nashi. We didn’t mean it.” Mirai took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking in an apologetic tone but the tears in her eyes were giving it away. Nashi appreciates their thoughts but her father was another problem.

“Bwahahaha!” Natsu rolled onto the floor as tears were spilled from his eye due to laughter. He too was holding onto his stomach and smack the wooden floor to emphasis on it. Lucy had to kick him in the gut for him to quiet down.

“But seriously, what's with that wind?” Nashi rubbed her nose bridge and everyone at the table shrugged.

“Maybe because I’m the coolest here. Like how the wind is cooling.” Silver joke and Nashi glared at him. She then stood up and raised a fist up but didn't attempt to hit him.

“Well! That wind was pretty hot! I don't feel the cool air but hot air! Thus, the wind makes me feel the hottest!” Nashi challenged back and with that sudden bluntness, everyone sweat dropped.

“Yeah! We are the hottest pair!” Natsu yelled out from their table and everyone in the guild facepalmed and shake their head except for Nashi. A blank expression on her face.

“You two don't get it, don't you?” Lucy sighed at how her husband and daughter exchanged a look.

“What Luce? We are Fire Dragon Slayers. Of course, we are the hottest! Nothing is hotter than fire.” Natsu replied in a deadpanned tone and Nashi nod. A long exasperation sighed came from Lucy as she rubbed her temple irritated.

“Wait till Yumi hear how I win against you!” Silver laughed and the said girl suddenly appear beside them. She was having a gloomy expressing and she was constantly sighing.

“What's wrong, Yumi?” Mirai asked worriedly and moved to make space for her to sit. The young iron dragon slayer let out another sighed and placed her chin on her propped open palm.

“She ate the utensils on accident and Gajeel took the rap for her but at the same time, he ate a few too. I wasn’t intending to punish her but Yumi wanted it. So….” Levy slowly explained and everyone gets where it was going.

“So she's not allowed to the next book fair nor request any new books?” Lucy asked and Levy nod. At the same time, Lucy gave Levy the bag of utensils that she had bought from the Market Fair. The female head of the Redfox family thank her for their well thoughts.

Another loud sigh came from the young iron dragon slayer before she glanced at her friends, fully conscious of what is happening right now. No point crying over spilled milk, right?

“Why… aren’t the two of you fighting?” Yumi points towards Nashi then Silver and back to Nashi. Nashi groaned at that while Silver grinned and crossed his arms over his chest; standing tall and proud.

“I won Fire Lizard.” The cheeky grinned growing wider. Yumi made a face and waits for an explanation which came not too soon.

“It was your shirt, Icy Snowman! You didn’t attack me or anything!” Nashi emphasized with a pout and Yumi isn’t getting it yet.

“Technically, the wind was the culprit.” Eev answered this time as she bites her clothes to prevent herself from saying her signature word. With the final hint, Yumi understood what happened.

“Oh… Seems like mother nature wanted to help Silver on this. Come here, Nashi. Would you like a hug?” Yumi asked and the depressed young fire dragon slayer went over to embrace her. It was not loved or anything as they usually do this when either one of them is feeling down. Lucy knew that her daughter wants to be independent so unless Nashi comes to her, Lucy won’t interfere.

If you would compare the 3 10 years old kids, Yumi being born on January 20 was the eldest one. Silver followed on, being born 5 months after, on June 15 and Nashi being born a month after Silver, July 15.

“Tsk.” Silver rolled his eyes as the girls hugged. He then sat down beside Rin to scan the area.

It’s just unfair that the gender ratio was unequal. As much as he could remember, there were more girls than guys within the guild.

Suddenly, they heard a piercing high pitched sound running towards them. All of them turned and saw a red scarlet-haired girl came flying towards Silver.

“Walking Cooler!” Mitsu called out with a wide-smiled and Silver caught her. Mitsu was the youngest member of the next generation so she tense to be pampered by the older members.

Somehow, Mitsu was attracted to Silver ever since Mitsu could walk but at the same time, she feels comfortable with anyone. The only reason they could come out with is due to the cold ‘air’ Silver emitted. He wasn’t against it or anything since he felt like an older brother to Mitsu since he doesn’t have any siblings. However, to Nashi, she’s an eyesore to him. No ‘little sister’ feel.

Silver felt an intense glare coming from the guild’s entrance which sends shivers down his spine. The blue head of his friend, mouth a sentence for him. ‘If you drop her, you’re dead.’ Silver sweat dropped and saw the Fernandez family making their way into the guild. Even Jellal came as well and he was wearing a simple civilian outfit.

“Jelly!” The kids except for Rin greeted with enthusiasm. Rin said it with a softer tone, almost inaudible.

“Good to see that all of you are doing fine.” Jellal smiled warmly at them and they return a smile as well. Mitsu in the arms of Silver, glance to him and back to Nashi. She crooked her head cutely afterward.

“Why aren’t walking cooler and walking warmer fighting?” She spoke up and this, in turn, causes Reiku’s curiosity to strike. Silver lowered Mitsu down so that she can sit on the bench that the older members had made space for her.

“I was hoping to stop a fight or two but looks like the two of you does get along.” Reiku nod and acknowledge them but this was based on his own judgment. The said culprit saw him flexes his muscle and cracked his knuckles as if he was ready to strike them.

“We fought and I won.” Silver grinned and the Fernandez family gasped at that. Lucy leans closer to Erza and Jellal as she whispers to them.

“It wasn’t a fair fight though.” They had a puzzled look on their face.

“IT WASN’T A FAIR FIGHT!,” Nashi chipped in immediately and glares hardly at Silver. Rage clearly overtaking the usual calm girl.

“Icy Snowman isn’t going to let me lived through this today, isn’t?” Silver then crossed his arm in front of his chest to think about something. After that, a lightbulb flashes above him which gives him an idea.

“Unless you call me ‘ O’ great and powerful, Silver’ I won’t pursue this.” A smirk visible on his face. Nashi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as well. A defiant look glaring at him.

“Do you want me to add ‘charming’ as well?”

“That would be great.” The exact same sarcastic tone replied to her.

“In your dreams.”

As the two continue to bicker, Reiku looked over to Mirai to get an explanation and she did. After that, Reiku burst out laughing while Mitsu pout at how rude her brother was.

“Bad Nii-chama! It was the wind! The wind! It’s not a fair fight!” Upon hearing that, Nashi runs to the girl and hugged her for dear life. Mitsu yelped in surprised but didn’t show any attempts of squirming out.

“See! Even Mitsu with the purest heart could tell that it wasn’t a fair fight!” Nashi exclaimed to Silver and with the now puppy eyes of Mitsu, he sighed.

“Fine, I won’t call it a win but I did make you thank me.”

“Yeah yeah.” Nashi waved it off and let Mitsu go. Suddenly, she felt an arm wrapped around her neck and Silver felt it too. The two of them were then pulled closer to each other but a third person came in-between them.

“I heard tons of things when I was on my way here. Care to explain?” The long-lost voice that they had not heard for about 2 months teased with a cheeky grinned.

“T-Tatsuya?!” Nashi exclaimed as she and Silver squirmed out of his gripped and the male laughed.

“Yeah, good to be back. Never would I want to try sneaking onboard the airship again.” The boy named Tatsuya covered his mouth as if he was ready to puke out his lunch.

However, behind the poison dragon slayer, Yumi had transformed her arm to iron and smacked the boy on his head.

“Owh, Yumi?! What was tha-” Tatsuya’s voice trembled as he turns around. He saw that his friends, except for Mitsu, had begun to activate their magic along with a dark aura emitting from them. They begin to advance towards the boy.

“So, how do you like being flown from 200 meters above the ground? I guess you really do enjoy being in an airship, especially for a Dragon Slayer.” Mirai eyed darkly at him and this was one reason why no one should piss her off. She may be a gentle and sweet girl but if things get nasty, she could flip personality. It was something that she inherited from her mother.

“Be prepared for the Master’s game that we would be giving you. We won’t go easy on you.” Reiku added and the other kids agree with him.

Tatsuya gulped nervously as his friends cornered him, but was soon interrupted when their last member entered.

“I read my fortune today. Someone is back isn't?” Reina question and the said purple haired boy cower behind her but she moved away to make sure that she isn’t in the crossfire.

“Thanks for the cover, Reina. Greatly appreciate it.” Tatsuya spoke and Reina played along as well.

“You’re welcome.” She teased and heard many sighs from her rest of her friends. Mirai then cleared her throat and spoke up with her gentle tone once again.

“Since everyone’s here, why don’t we head for a team training camp? It’s been awhile since we organized one since someone decided to take things on his own matter.” Mirai eyed him once more to emphasis on the said _‘someone’._

Though Tatsuya felt guilty about leaving the guild to find his father, he doesn’t regret the things that he had done with Crime Sorciere. After all, he did learn many life lessons that could not be obtained from books.

“I hope there’s improvement in your magic, Tatsuya. You may not have been with us for 2 months but that doesn’t mean we would stop training just for you.” Yumi glares at him as he used to be her training partner whenever they team up. Thus, with Tatsuya’s absence, Nashi and Silver took turns to partner with Yumi.

“Oh, Yumi. You have no idea what sort of things I went through. I can prove to everyone that my absence was not in vain.” Tatsuya smug to prove his point and that would be judged during their training camp.

“The training camp is 3 days 2 night and would commence on this coming weekend, at Fairy Tail’s Training Hideout. We would use that time to come out with a suitable humiliation for Tatsuya. I did bring up this idea to your parents beforehand and they agree to it as well. ” Mirai begin to give out instruction and the next generation nod with understanding before heading back to their table to spend the rest of their day with each other company.

Fairy Tail’s Training Hideout’ is also known as Fairy Tail Second Building during the disappearance of Tenroujima.

Tatsuya, however, had begun to help out at the bar due to his punishment from his mother and there’s where the next generation took advantage of this for calling him over and over again just to make him miserable. This wasn’t even part of the Master’s game yet.

As fun and laughter were heard at the next generation table, the adults were having their own conversation as well. Mainly about what they did before they stepped into the guild.

As Lucy watched her daughter interact with her friends, she was wondering how should she bring up the subject of Nashi’s kidnapped to the other families.

“Nee Lu-chan, a penny for your thought? You have been staring into space for a few seconds now.” Levy asked worriedly as she could sense that Lucy was troubled about something.

“Ehhhh? I- I was just wondering how much jewels does it take to rebuild the house.” Lucy was caught off guard and quickly comes up with a suitable answer for her blue-haired friend. Even though Levy knew that Lucy was indeed lying, she decided that she should ask her friend once more when they are in private.

“Hmm, maybe about 2,000,000 jewels or so.” Levy randomly quote the price and Lucy was about to faint from having to fork out 2,000,000 jewels just because of a ‘1-meter’ bee that her husband and daughter did to the house.

“There goes my jewels of getting the new seasonal clothing and accessories from Blue Pegasus.” Lucy groaned and leaned onto the table as she buried her face in her arms. Meanwhile, Levy giggles at Lucy’s reaction.

“Well, I guess that’s the sacrifice that we had to give up since we married them but seeing our little bundle of joy all grown up and healthy is all that matters.” Levy tried her best to comfort her best friend and that indeed works.

Lucy tilts her head to face Levy and answered her. “I guess Levy-chan’s right. Seeing our kid happy and safe is what being a parent is all about. Though I would love to have the new collection of clothing that Blue Pegasus had released, having a roof under one’s head weighs an important factor. Thank you, Levy-chan.” Lucy smiled faintly and Levy was glad that her friend was feeling better.

**\----------Chapter end---------**

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yay! Next chapter would be their training camp! Little Mitsu would be helping out as well!  Do wait for the next chapter to be written and published.
> 
> On the sad note, I'll be starting school in January so update would be slower too T^T
> 
> Until then, see you!


	12. Team Training Camp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am sorry that this chapter took forever to be released... I was busy with school and assignments ;-; I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I love writing this chapter out. 

“Nashi, duck!” Silver yelled as he saw an iron dragon roar making its way to his team. The other member, Reina, had dodge the incoming attack but a certain slayer was distracted.

“Duck?! Where?! We could cook it!” Nashi exclaimed as she misinterprets Silver’s ‘duck’. Nashi being Nashi, food is always her priority.

The roar got closer to Nashi and Reina boosted her speed using her card magic to tackled Nashi onto the ground. The two tumble across the forest ground before hitting a large log to break their fall.

“What were you doing?!” Reina scolded the slayer but Nashi wasn't listening to her.

“Silver said ‘Duck’ so I assume he was referring to dinner since our team is in charge of food!” Nashi wasn't wrong about it but it wasn't the time for hunting.

“Yes, but it isn't the time for that.” Reina lectured Nashi and it seems that Nashi just realized it wasn’t snack time yet.

Silver had joined up with them and upon seeing Nashi’s reaction, he faced palmed.

“Urg! This is why I hate teaming up with Nashi! She gets distracted far too easily!” He scratched his head irritatedly and punches a nearby tree to vents his anger. Reina laughed nervously while Nashi wonders why was he that angry as food was essential.

As the trio guards were lowered, another dragon roar made from a female voice, combined with a tornado was seen inching closer to them. Nashi saw the attack and pushes the others aside as she faces the attack on her own.

“Fire Dragon Roar!” Nashi countered with a hot flaming roar which cuts through the combination attack but the second it split apart, a female emerge with a materialized iron club on her right hand. Since the attack was at a close range, Nashi doesn’t know how to counter it. Sure, she could use her fire dragon iron fist to counter it but in a midst of panic, her mind went blank. However, the second voice from her right intercepts their opponent.

“Ice-make, ice wall!” Silver intercepted as his ice freezes the ground to create a base before moving up to create a wall. This ice wall causes their opponent from penetrating through, causing her to rebound off the wall.

“Magic Card, snow storm!” Reina who was standing opposite Silver’s ice wall continued their volley attack. Their opponent was in mid-air which causes her to be vulnerable.

“Shi-” The voice mumble as she crosses her arms to defend herself. However, she heard...

“Speed boost.” A blur wolf figure passed Reina on the right and the rider grabbed the iron slayer by the clothes in the last millisecond. The snow attack swiftly passed through and hit a nearby tree bark which crystallized into a snowflake pattern.

The wolf then appear directly opposite Nashi and the rider let go of the slayer’s clothing.

“Thanks, Rin, Riega.” the iron dragon slayer smile at the assist that her teammate had given.

“Welcome…” Rin answered softly with a slight nod while the wolf, Riega chirps in contentment **(A/N: Wolf does chirp. The internet says so though!)**. However, Riega’s contentment was quickly replaced with a sharp and alert snarled, looking towards Nashi and the others. They had not made a move yet but base on experience, no one would stay still for long.

A strong wind blow passed them and their clothes sway in the same direction. Everyone watches the other team closely and just as the wind stopped, both team clashes with one another.

How the team was formed was due to drawing lots. Red for Reiku and Blue for Mirai. It all started 30 minutes ago when all the participating members were doing forearm planking as their warm-up exercise

**~30 minutes ago~**

“30 more seconds!” Mitsu called out cutely from the tall-flat rock that she was seating. She was seated in the front of her guildmates where they were doing their last warm-up exercise, forearm planking, to train on their flexibility and balance.

The participating members of this training camp are Nashi, Silver, Yumi, Mirai, Reiku, Mitsu, Eev, Rin, Reina and Tatsuya. However, for Mitsu, she would be doing lighter training as she is still too young for her to do rigorous training. Another reason is due to her protective brother.

The older members were arranged in rows of 3 and they had an arm-length distance away from one another to prevent themselves from hitting anyone. Everyone was serious in their exercise and they were focusing hard to ignore the stinging tension of their muscles. This was a positive sign to them since it means that they are doing the exercise correctly.

“And done!” Mitsu called out once more and ring a bell. The older members relax and Reiku sat up from his front seat. He cleared his throat to get the attention of his friends.

“We had done the essential warm-up and now is the time to decide the team formation for this training camp.” Reiku took out a cup with 7 wooden popsicle stick from his magic storage. He continued “The bottom of the sticks are colored red and blue. However, as the members are odd in number, one stick would be colored purple. That person could choose to be either be on the red team or blue team. Those under the red team would be with me and those with the blue would be with Mirai. We would be playing this game called ‘Capture The Flag’.” Reiku paused to allow his friends to absorb what he had just said.

“As the name suggests, each team are required to capture an orange flag that Mitsui had placed somewhere in the forest. Neither Mirai or I know the exact location of the flag so each team needs to locate it on their own. Magic is allowed to be used but make sure that no killer moves are exchanged. Capturing the flag has to be done psychically. Meaning, magic such as molding magic like claws or magic-shape hands, Rin’s animals and far range attack are not allowed to be used when getting the flag. Mitsu would be sitting out on this activity since she’s too young for this.”

Mitsu pout that she could not participate but knowing the fact that she could watch her brother and her friends exchange blows, she was contented to be here.

“Oh, and this time, Team Mirai would be in charged of meals while Team Reiku would be in charged of cleaning up." Mirai added their duty as both team leaders switch their duty every training camp. It depends on luck whether the members would have to do the same chores for every training camp they had.

Reiku stretched out his hand and everyone begins to stand up and placed their hands on one of the popsicle stick.

“I hope that I am not on the same team as Fire Lizard again.” Silver mumble with annoyance as the duo had been paired together for the past few training camps. Be it team or partner, they were always together for some odd reason.

“Please do not get me on the same team as Icy Snowman. His too antsy for his age.” Nashi rebuts and before Silver could argue, they tense up as they felt Reiku’s warning glare. How could a human be so terrifying? No one other than Nashi, Silver and their father know.

“Well, let fate take the deciding factor, alright?” Yumi squeezed in-between the two to break their electric glares and within a few seconds, they looked away from each other with a ‘hmpf’ sound.

“On the count of 3, pull the stick out. One,” Reiku said and they nod.

“Two,”

_‘Please do not put me with Fire Lizard’_

_‘Please do not put me with Icy Snowman’_

The two thought together as they gulped nervously.

“Three.” Reiku continued and the members pulled the stick.

Silence filled the air before two agonizing voice breaks the silence.

“NO! Not again!” Silver and Nashi groaned before glaring at each other.

“Stop copying me!” They said it simultaneously and truth be told, the rest of the members were pretty much enjoying their little fight. It seems like ‘opposite do attract’ does work for these two young mages.

“Leaving those two aside, it seems that they would be blue. Yumi’s red, Eev’s blue, Rin’s red, Tatsuya’s red and Reina’s purple.” Reiku read out the results before placing the popsicle back into the cup.

“I guess I would be choosing blue. I got to entertain myself with these two.” Reina chuckled as both the ice and fire mage looked at her with a frown. They didn’t know that they were their friend’s entertainment.

Afraid to offend them, Reina quickly add. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s been awhile since I was in a team with you two and whenever we clash during field battle, the two of you would just end up bickering which thus, halt the battle and give us instant win.”

“Also,” Mirai spoke again and the members looked at her. “Each team would be given 10 minutes, in their base, to brainstorm on a suitable plan to capture the flag. If not, they could scrap the idea of brainstorming and goes directly to search for the flag. There’s pros and cons about it so the choice is yours. Soundproof runes would be activated in order to prevent cheaters in the first 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, a siren would ring and that would indicate the start of the battle. So without further ado, let’s get this battle started!” Mirai punched her fist up into the air and the other members followed too with a chorus of ‘Yosh!’.

At a time like this, the adults of Fairy Tail wonder if they are indeed 10~ 13 years old kid. Their mentality doesn’t fit their age but since they are children’s of magician parents, it was inevitable that they had to develop ways to deal with their magic. Training with their parents was one method to cope with their magic but they too decided that training in a team would be efficient in the long run.

This bunch of next generation are fearless and would not surrender under any circumstances. They do have different personality but that’s what makes them a team.

In the eyes of their parents, They are sweet angelic kids, but without their parent's presence around, they are mini monsters.

\--------------------------------

The next generation along with the rest of the Fairy Tail members had converted 2nd Fairy Tail building into a guild training ground. Runes are put along the building to ensure that no one other than Fairy Tail members is allowed to enter the facility. Unless the said people are accompanied by any Fairy Tail members, Other than that, the forest is free to be used by anyone.

They had fresh water and fruits from the river and trees, places to run around and most importantly, they are isolated from civilization. Meaning, they could run amok without having to pay for damages.

700 meters away from the 2nd Fairy Tail building lies 2 identical base, roughly about 1 kilometers away from one another. The left base belongs to Team Mirai while the right belongs to Team Reiku. They could not see each other base due to the numerous trees blocking their path but they could see markings on the ground due to the help of their Aunt Levy’s, Solid Script, number marks. Each base has a square parameter of 100 meters by 100 meters. They created the base for volley attack training between both bases and also to ensure that whenever they clashed, they would not destroy the Fairy Tail building.

Mitsu was seated on the rooftop of the Fairy Tail building where she watches the footage captured by the lacrima cameras. All of the footage are recorded so that Mirai and Reiku could analyzed on the team performance and therefore, work together to form a suitable training regime.

**\--------------------------Brainstorm period, Mirai’s team-----------------------**

“Does anyone have any idea where Mitsu would hide the flag?” Silver asked his teammates as they sat in a circle to discuss their plan. Most of them shrugged their shoulders and this includes Mirai too.

“I took a sniff earlier and I couldn’t find Mitsu scents lingering in the forest.” Nashi shrugged and that means that enhanced scents magicians aren’t allowed to rely on their scents to find the flag. After all, it would be far too easy if they were able to do so.

Mirai’s team consist of 2 enhanced scents wizards and they are Nashi and Mirai while Reiku’s team consist of 3 enhanced wizards and they are Tatsuya, Yumi, and Rin. For Rin’s case, it could be broken down to the number of animals souls that has enhanced scents ability.

“Wow Nashi, did you just figured that out?” Silver commented in a sarcastic tone while clapping his hand.

“Why don’t we fight one-on-one here. Whoever wins, gets to fight Reiku.” Nashi emitted fire from her hands as she did a backflip to distance herself from the seated group. Her glares were fixed at Silver and he returned the action by releasing icicle up in the air as he stood up. Mirai sigh from the 2 hot-headed teammates as she watches them fight among themselves.

“Good luck, Nashi, and Silver but don’t tire yourself out before the major fight.” Mirai cheered from her seat as she returned her attention to Reina and Eev. In the background, the two 10 years old mage had begun their supposedly magic match but it ended up as a hand-to-hand match.

Reina was in a deep thought and both the cousins noticed this. Eev then placed her hands on Reina’s shoulder which thus, caused the girl to make eye contact with her.

“Something wrong?” Eev asked with a concerned tone.

“Hmm, I’m thinking about Mitsu’s pattern. For a 5 years old girl, she loves tall places yet loves to hide isn’t? She loves being carried up and loves to seek anything that requires her to climb.” Reina spoke up and this was a critical lead for team Mirai.

“So Reina means that Mitsu might have hidden the flag on somewhere tall yet being concealed? For example below a tall tree branch or something?” Mirai asked to confirm her suspicion and Reina nod.

The trio team took about 3 minutes to figure out a suitable tree that matches that description and Eev snapped her finger as if she got what she wants.

“How about that tall leafy tree that we decided that it would be the center of where the base is? If we connect imaginary lines, that center tree would be the tip of a triangle since both bases are symmetrical in terms of length and distance. The tree is also one of the tallest trees in the forest and it’s pretty much sticking out when we look at it from our base.” Eev suggested as a light bulb could be seen above her head.

“That could be one of the possible location.” Reina nod to approve the location of the flag before glancing over at the playfight duo.

“Heard that, you two?” Mirai asked and saw the two of them pulling each other’s cheek while telling the other one to let go.

“Gut chu.” Silver answered but Nashi was still figuring out what everyone was talking about. Mirai brushed off the idea saying that she should just focus on the battle and leave brain power to the rest of the team. Eev and Reina eventually pry them apart and they noticed the puffy cheeks that both fire and ice mage had done to each other.

“Wow, if Reiku found out that Mitsu had attempted to climb a tree, who knows what sort of panic attack he would have.” Eev commented as she stretches her arms high up to the sky till she heard a satisfying ‘pop’ sound before putting her arms back down.

“Most likely, he would freak out and forbid Mitsu from coming with us for other training sessions.” Reina answered and this was agreed with the team. Reiku was known to have a sister complex to Mitsu since she is extremely adorable and pure. Well, that’s what all older siblings think of their little ones.

“Nashi, do you remember where the flag is?” Mirai asked the slayer who replied confidently.

“A tall leafy tree!” She smiled with a toothy-grinned.

“Good, do remember that description. Since we know the rough location of the flag, let’s play a little while with Reiku’s team, alright? Nashi, Silver, and Reina would be the defender team and Eev and I would be getting the flag. The purpose of the defender team is to create a path for Eev and I to pass the flag to our base. It would be too boring to just grab the flag and return to base so why not spice things up with a battle here and there? That is, after all, the purpose of a team training camp. I’m sure Reiku would eventually pick things up.” Mirai’s face darken which means that she is getting serious about their upcoming battle. Through visual effect, it looks like Mirai grew demonic horns on her forehead. At this point, both Nashi and Silver didn’t rebut on being placed together on the same team.

Not long, they heard the siren going off and that means their 10 minutes brainstorm is over.

 _“Showtime”_  Team Mirai voiced their inner thought which syncs with everyone. Mirai and Eev activated their take-over magic to start the ball rolling. With their plan in action, the team split into two for their upcoming battle.

**\------------- Reiku’s Team----------**

At the same time that the siren went off, Team Reiku had decided to use Rin’s ability to seek out the flag for the past 10 minutes but it seems that she wasn’t able to find anything.

“Anything so far, Rin?” Reiku asked the animal soul seeker whose eyes were glowing light blue due to her magic activation.

“No… I can’t see any flag anywhere but I do have leads from Mirai-nee team.” Rin had sent her bird, Yuga, out to scout the area but up till now, she still couldn’t pinpoint where the flag is.

Rin’s seith magic enables her soft toy to transform into the animals that they originally are. All these soft toys are sewed and mend by Rin. Magic are placed in the soft toy to allow flexibility and movement. When the animals uses Rin’s magic to manifest into their original form, a blue aura surround them which indicate that they are souls. Rin tried her best to sew exactly like the animals that they once were.

Yuga was a sky blue parakeet and his main ability is sight share. This enables Rin to see what Yuga’s sees. A perfect way to scout areas and avoid rush decision. Yuga, too, uses wind element to attack.

“... Nashi, Silver, and Reina had split away from Mirai nee and Eev nee. From our location, they about 500 meters north-west of us while Mirai nee and Eev nee is about 800 meter, north. Both teams are currently on the run. Eev’s nee in her werebear form and Mirai’s nee in her Cerberus form .” Rin answered Reiku, as she deactivated sight on Yuga. Yuga, on the other hand, continues to scout the area.

Eev’s took a form of a furry bear beast where she stood on her hind legs to overlook her surrounding. She wore a brown battle-like vest, wrist guard and pants to protect her from injuries. In her werebear form, her five senses are heightened and so does her power. However, she lacks in speed.

At this point of them, some members were lost in the direction use but they would get their answer soon.

“I’m guessing Nashi’s team is the defenders. The flag catcher team would need defenders in order to return back to base with the flag. This is what we would do.” Reiku signal for his team to come closer as he says his brilliant plan.

“We will play dirty and use them to seek out the flag.” Reiku stands proudly with his suggestion but his teammates face fault onto the ground.

“Th-that’s the dumbest thing I had ever heard!” Tatsuya rebuts as he and the others stood back up.

“Well, do you have any better ideas?” Reiku crossed his arms over his chest and this time, Tatsuya stand tall and proud as a smug crossed his face.

“Hmm, I do. I heard Nashi thinking that the flag is under a tall leafy tree. Maybe that’s the reason why Rin’s animal could not find it.”

“Tall Leafy tree... Yuga might have passed a tree with that description.” Rin telepathy to Yuga to find the tallest tree with the most leaves and without a doubt, the flag was hidden beneath there. Yuga had hidden in one of the tree branches so that he could rely any information of Team Mirai’s.

“It’s there… about 3 kilometers from our location. That tree is the... center tree...” Rin hesitates to tell her team, the distance that is needed to get the flag. It was a good 5 meters climb and if Reiku knows about the danger that Mitsu had gone through, he would flip.

“So that’s what you mean by north and north-west. From our perspective, north-west would be Nashi's north-east. Looking up from our base, that center tree is northward of us, which means Mirai is purposely ahead of us.” Yumi clarified and Rin nod.

“And here I thought I was the one playing dirty. Aren’t you doing that too?” Reiku rolled his eyes as Tatsuya chuckle and sling his elbow around Reiku’s neck. He was, after all, a carefree boy and wasn’t affected by Reiku’s ‘wrath’.

“Alright you two, stop fighting!” Yumi squeezes her way in-between the two boys to prevent them from starting any fight and they looked at her. Over the years, Yumi had declared herself as a mediator to every fight that her friends had engaged in.

“We aren’t fighting, mediator.” They said together and with the girl’s thought of ‘they do care for one another’, Reiku cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Now that we know the rough location of each member of Team Mirai and the flag, it’s showtime!” With that announcement, the team had advanced from their base, running towards the tree. While running, Tatsuya figures that they had to do something with the defender team in the north-west.

“Rin and Yumi, think you two could deal with Nashi and the others?” Tatsuya asked the two girls running behind him.

“With Nashi and Silver on the team, those two would definitely clash together so that leave Reina alone.” Yumi flashback her experience of being in a trio team with those two. She won’t say that she hates it or anything but she had to admit, having them together does contain friendly fire.

“Alright, let’s return the favor of an ambush.” Reiku nod to Rin and she knew what he meant.

Rin stop on her track, followed by the others and she called upon Riega, her wolf soft toy.

“Riega, it’s up to you.” Rin kisses the forehead of her wolf soft toy and a blue light surrounded him. Within seconds, he transformed into a huge gray wolf. Riega was huge enough to carry 2 people at once and had harness placed on his back as he was a frequent carrier to Rin.

The girls climbed onto Riega with Rin holding onto the reins and Yumi hugging the waist of Rin.

“Give them a good scare.” Tatsuya grinned with a thumbs up as he could imagine their reaction, mainly Nashi’s reaction.

With a nod from the girls, Rin muttered “Speed boost” and Riega glowed a faint blue. A light blue magic circle appears below them and in a flash, they were gone. Reiku and Tatsuya waited for a few seconds before running towards the tallest tree. Currently, they are about 2.5 kilometers away from it.

“Heads up, Reiku. Mirai is about 300 meters in front of us and she isn’t going in the direction of the flag. She’s coming to us.”

“Guess they wants to play.”

“That’s the purpose of this training camp, isn’t?”

Just as Tatsuya said this, his ears twitch with irritation as a loud shriek could be heard deep in the wildness. That shriek alone had even made the nearby birds flew away and was even heard by Reiku.

“Wow, I didn’t expect Nashi to sound so girly.” Reiku commented as he watched Tatsuya rubbed his ear. It felt like that shriek had deafened him as he does have sensitive ears. Just then, a volley of black orbs and spikes made its way to the boys and Reiku grabbed Tatsuya’s arm to move him out of the attack.

“Please don’t bully Nashi... She’s an innocent and pure girl.” A gentle voice came from above and 2 girls jumped down from the tree branch. They were revealed as Mirai and Eev and both of the girls are in their battle outfit.

“So you have come to us huh, Mirai? Was telling Nashi to remember the location of the flag, part of your plan too?” Reiku chuckled as he re-equiped into his robe of yuen’ armor. Just like his mother, he had a similar outfit like hers but the male version. His purple kimono was darker and instead of a one-handed polearm, he wields a dual-wielded halberd.

“Who knows? Maybe it was. We decided that the best choice is to knock out your team and grab the flag. That way, we won’t have to evade unexpected ambush.” Mirai spoke as she took a few steps forward. Eev mimics her action as well.

“Hmm? Think Mirai could get passed us?” Tatsuya asked as he recovered from his ringing ear as poison dripped off from his mouth. Mirai clapped her hands together upon seeing this.

“It’s been ages since I last saw those poison. Less talk, more fight?” Mirai suggested, looking at Reiku with cautious movement. He is the one that was always on par with her. Maybe it’s due to their mother being rival but Mirai had to admit, he was a talented mage.

On the other hand, in Reiku’s mind, he had to admit that she was a gifted mage. She excels in both beauty and magic as she was a scouted child model from Sorcerer Magazine. She’s pretty much like a child version of her beloved mother.

“Oh? The two of you had something in common, huh?” Tatsuya teased with an idiotic grin as if he found a secret. His comment causes the two team leaders to blush.

“It’s called appreciating the other party’s ability.” Reiku tried to sound all cool and mighty but what he received was a laugh from Tatsuya.

“Yeah, I appreciate that too.”

Jokes set aside, both team raises their magic pressure by a notch before clashing magic with one another.

**\------------------------Back at Nashi and the others ------------------**

Turning back the clock slightly, at the point before Rin and Yumi climbed onto Riega.

Nashi, Silver, and Reina had successfully made their way to their defender point and all they had to do is wait. They were about 1.5 kilometer apart from where Mirai and Eev are and the main reason is due to their fights; they tend to play quite roughly.

“How long do we have to wait till someone attacks us?” Nashi asks as Silver furrowed his eyebrows at her.

“Oi, if you said that, it won’t be long till it comes true.”

“Well, how long would they take then?” Nashi asked as she leans against a tree.

“2 minutes perhaps.” A voice, not from her team, whisper into her right ear as Nashi groan at the time.

“Damn, that’s too lo-” Now realizing what happened, she turned to the direction of the voice and came face to face with Riega. At this point, Riega playfully licked Nashi’s face, smudging her with Riega’s saliva.

“A-ARHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Nashi screams at the top of her lungs before Riega disappears from her view using speed boost, leaving an after image of himself. At a tree branch of the opposite tree that Nashi lean against, laughter could be heard and Riega resurfaced from his magic. Behind him was Rin and Yumi, and the laughter belongs to the iron dragon slayer.

“That was good!” Yumi continues to laugh and since she leans back too much, she fell off Riega, causing her to fall from the tree branch.

“KARMA!!!!!!” Nashi counters back and this time, both teams started to laugh at the comedy in front of them. Even though they were from 2 different teams, they are still under the same guild, under the same family.

Giving a few seconds to catch their breath, Reina asked as she took out her stake of cards, “Let’s start, shall we? The battle north-east of us had already engaged in battle.” Reina pointed upwards and both teams saw flashes of different attacks flying all around.

“I second that.” Yumi agrees as she stood up and dust the leaves on her clothing. Once she was done, her arms transformed into an iron club and at the same time, Nashi’s palms emitted fire to show that she is serious in this match. Silver had thrown his shirt away and it flew to who knows where.

As if an imaginary bell had surfaced, the sound ‘tink’ was heard and both teams charged at one another.

**\------------To be continued in the next chapter---------------**

 

  **Question: Which team should win or should they be tie** **? Do leave a comment on your thoughts on the question or if you have any enquires about this chapter, please PM/DM/ comment to let me know. Thank you^.^**

**See you guys soon in the next chapter!**


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